These Are Our Lives
by It'sAllGooeyAndSticky
Summary: A collection of one shots featuring our favorite people. May contain sexual content, or strong language. Karen goes through an earth quake, Kyle loses his mom, Red learns to drive, and Stan meets a celeberty. Ooo, look who's stalking! Still more to come. R/r
1. Chapter 1

Prologue: Author's Note

I recently wrote a collection of short stories that was just like this one will be. _Tales of A South Park Nothing _is actually a very good read. If you like those kind of stories. I wish I had more inspiration to add more. But now, here I come at you with a new collection.

This story collection is different in that it takes situations from everyday life and puts a character, or a pair of our lovely _South Parkians, _throughthesituation_. _Theexperiencesaregathered from different events in my personal life, as well as different TV shows and things I have seen. At the end, (Whenever that may be.), I will give you acknowledgements and tell you where each of the experiences came from. I hope you stick around. I am going with the flow, and have none of this planned out. So read on, and review.

Jet AKA ItsAllGooeyAndSticky


	2. Chapter 2

**Don't Leave My Side!**

It was a cloudy winter day, and Karen McCormick sat on the curb crying. Her luck had ran out, and she really hated that it had. Her days were getting worse and worse as they went by, and there was no one to take care of her. Sure, Kenny did a good job; When he was around. Mostly he was missing. He'd go with his friends, or go off by himself and leave Karen alone. Still…, that was no excuse for him to stop loving her the way he used to. The eleven year old looked at the body lying next to her. She touched the hand of the cold corpse, and her eyes flooded with tears again. She didn't want to remove the jacket, mask, or any other item. She felt like she would be rude to him for doing so. He had been her guardian angel, and he was no more.

"Mysterion!" she sobbed as she fell on top of the hero and cried. He had just been shot by her would-be-rapist. But the man had gotten away. "You promised you'd always take care of me." she sobbed quietly.

She didn't know how much time had passed but soon, it got too cold, and soon, Karen was falling into sleep. She didn't care if she froze out there. Nothing mattered. Her hero had died.

Two weeks had gone by since the death of her angel, and she still remembered. Ken hadn't returned yet either, from who-knows-where. Only God knew what that boy was up to. Karen sure as hell didn't wanna know.

There was a horrible crash and people in her living room started screaming. Kevin and his parents shrieked and Karen heard running all over the house.

"Karen!" Kevin shouted as he came running into the room. He scooped up the thin eleven year old girl and ran to the door frame and they both fell on the ground.

"What's going on?!" Karen said as she tried not to cry.

"We're having a house melt down!" Stuart shouted from the other door way. "Your mom and you don't clean enough, and the house is breakin' apart, missie!" he explained.

"It's an earthquake, dumbass." Kevin said loudly as something made of glass fell behind Karen.

"You wanna say that again, boy?" Stuart yelled as he tried to make his way over to Kevin.

"No!" Karen shouted as she looked on. "Someone has to find Ken!" she shouted. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she started to cry. "Someone has to find my brother!"

"He's my brother too, y'know, KareBear." Kevin said as he took her hand. "But cryin' for the dude ain't gon' help us in this mess." He said as he felt the ground shake under them.

"We gotta get outta here, Stuart!" Karol shouted as she lay under a table. "Karen's right, we gotta find our son."

There was a loud silence, and suddenly, the door opened on its own. Oh man they really had to get their family out of there. Karen shrieked as the door opened on its own. Would they survive this one?

They did. After everything was all said and done, they survived the earthquake. Kenny hadn't shown up. Karen didn't know what to do or how to handle such a terrifying situation. The Marshes were called, the Broflovskis. They called everywhere Kenny spent his time. Nowhere.

"What if something happened to him?!" Karen asked as she stood on the porch. "What if he's dead?"

Kevin sighed. Kenny always dies, and Karen still gets upset over the whole mess every time it happens. Like it's new or something. "If he's dead, he'll come back tomorrow." Kevin said looking down at his little sister.

"Kevin!" Karen shouted. "You are such an insensitive asshole!" she shouted as she punched her small fist into his stomach.

"What!" Kevin said a little angry. "He dies all the time, and he always comes back."

"What did I do!? He asked as she took off running.

It took three whole hours for Ken to return. Three hours after the fucking earthquake. Karen cried for a long time in her room after saying hello to Kenny and making sure he was okay. He was full of fading bruises and cuts, but other than that, he was fine. She hated herself for worrying. But what could she do? Mysterion had been taken away from her. She really didn't want Kenny's luck to run out. If it did, he'd never be able to take good care of her like he always did. Fucking earth with its quaking! Why did they have to live here?

"Karen!?" Kenny shouted as he knocked on their door. "Can I come in, baby?" he asked as he tapped the door gently.

"It's open!" Karen shouted as she grabbed a pillow and dried her eyes with it.

Kenny came into the room, and Karen grabbed him and hugged him really tight. She smiled as she snuggled into him and breathed in his scent.

"I love you Ken!" she said as she closed her eyes.

"I love you too, Karen." He said smiling. "Now…, let go of me so I can go brush my teeth, and we can get ready to go to bed." He said smiling.

"I'll come too!" she said as she let go of him. She jumped up and grabbed her tooth brush. "Let's go!" she shouted as she walked to the door.

"Well all right then." Kenny said surprised. "I don't know what all the excitement was all about, but sure." He said as he grabbed his brush and they headed to the bathroom.

The weeks went by, and Karen was extremely clingy to Kenny. She hardly ever let him leave her side, and she went with him to all the things he did with his friends. It was a custom now that Karen be there, So Kyle brought Ike along to make sure Karen wasn't the only child at their get-togethers.

"Dude," Stan said curious two weeks after the earthquake. "What's gotten into Karen?" he asked. "Is she usually like this?"

Kenny shrugged. "I guess it's because I'm her brother and she really likes me." he muttered. "I think she likes me more than Kevin." He said with a prideful smile.

"You don't get it." Kyle said looking at Ike and Karen eating cupcakes in the kitchen. "She really clings to you." He said looking Kenny straight in the eyes. "Ike doesn't even cling to me that much, and you don't see Stan clinging to Shelly."

"Kyle, Ike admires you, I've seen it." Kenny said bitterly. "And Stan doesn't cling to Shelly, because Shelly is a bitch. (No 'ffense, bro.)." he muttered as an afterthought.

"Dude," Stan said looking at his friend concerned. "no one means anything by it, Ken. It's just, is it normal to have your sibling cling to you like that?" he asked timidly.

"It's nothing. "Kenny said grinning. "I'm sure she'll get over it. Red's sister's really sick. So Karen doesn't really have any other girls to play with. Once she gets better, Karen'll be back to her old self again." Kenny reassured. "Can we please get back to our science project, please?" he asked as he took a cracker and dipped it into the humus. "Whoever brought these, thanks." He muttered laughing. "It's food for the Gods."

"Then Why are you eating it.?" Kyle whispered softly.

Kenny flipped him off as they all laughed and started to get back to work. They didn't want to be failing their Science class.

The days went by, and soon it became a whole month and a half. Karen and Ike were sitting in Ike's room. Ike was on the bed doing his homework, and Karen was busy trying to solve one of Ike's neatly complicated rubics cubes. They were her favorite.

"I'm going down stairs to get some honey cake." Ike informed. "Want some?" he asked.

"No thanks." She whispered.

"Why are you whispering?" Ike asked.

"Shshshsh." Karen said softly.

"Do not ruin my concentration. For I have almost mastered this cube of truth." She hissed. "I am almost done. And after, my dear, we shall see the future."

Ike gave her a serious look. "I'll wait with bated breath." He whispered.

They both stared at each other for a whole minute in serious concentration. Then, they exploded into laughter at the same time.

Ike left the room and went down stairs to see if there was more cake left. His mom had gone to the Marshes house to spend time with the other families, as there would be a game on. Kyle's house was to be used for Stan, Kenny, and Kyle as a hang out. Cartman said he had other plans, but they didn't really want to know. As Ike approached the kitchen, he came to a very interesting sight. The boys were all gathered around the kitchen table, with different piles of chips all around them.

"What in the name of Mysterion are you guys doing to my chips?" Ike asked looking at the boys curiously.

"We're organizing the chips into categories." Stan said happily. "This is the chips that look like famous people, the chips that look like family members faces, the chips that are weird shaped, and the perfect looking smooth chips." He explained.

"Great." Ike muttered. "I enjoy eating chips that have been man handled by you boys."

"We're wearing latex, little brother." Kyle said proudly.

"As if that makes it any better." Muttered Ike sadly. "What happens after you organize the chips?" he asked.

"We eat them." Muttered Stan as if that was obvious as all hell.

"You guys need lives." Ike muttered.

"Look who's talking, book worm." Stan muttered sticking his tongue out at Ike.

"Ken," Kyle asked as he was reminded of the conversation they were all supposed to be having with Kenny.

"What?" Kenny asked as he placed a chip aside.

"Whoa!" Ike said looking at the chip that Kenny had just put down. "What the hell is that?"

"It's an alien chip." Kenny said looking at the green potato chip.

"I'll have to say," Stan said peering at it expertly. "It kind of looks like a duck."

Kyle cleared his throat. "Kenny, I was in the middle of asking you something." He said sternly.

"What's up, Kylee?" Kenny asked making Kyle blush.

"Have you thought about what we all said last time? Kyle asked jolting Stan back to earth. "about Karen?"

"You guys, c'mon." Kenny said laughing. "There is nothing wrong with my little sister." He explained contently.

"Kenny she hasn't left your side for a whole month." Ike said pointedly. "Her sketch book is full of drawings of Mysterion and you." He said looking at the ceiling where the adorable girl was.

"Kenny, you should talk to her." Stan said looking at his friend concerned again. "She might be going through some things."

"Red said her sister's not sick anymore." Kyle pointed out. "Karen hasn't even tried to get backin touch with her, has she?"

"Look…," Kenny said standing to face the group. "I'm sure that Karen and her friends are just in some kind of fight. Kids do that, you know." He said smiling. "They'll welcome Karen back into their circle in a matter of time." He said softly. "She's just trying to give them some space."

"Okay." Kyle said still not buying it. "But I'm warning you, Kenny. This could be really serious. Karen could really be in trouble. And if you don't do something—"

"Look!" Kenny said as his patience left him. "Karen just gets in those moods where she needs me! Okay? There is nothing wrong with that at all! You're all civil, and you all know about human emotion. Especially you, Stanley! So leave it alone! Karen will get back to herself in no time! Okay? So just drop it!"

But even after they dropped the subject, there was still no denying that there was something going on with Karen. Two weeks later, Kenny was supposed to go start his first day at his new job. He was so happy. He had gotten his job, he was really full of food, nothing could ruin this day.

"Wait for me, Ken!" Karen said excitedly. "I'll grab my coat!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Kenny said as he grabbed his sister and held her steady. "You can't come with me, missie." He said kissing her face. "I've got a night shift at the Mini Mart down town." He said as he held his sister tightly. "You have to stay here with mom and dad. Go over to Kyle's and find Ike. Or go play with Red's sister." He said smiling. "I can't bring you with me."

Karen started to scream and cling to Kenny almost as if she was being shot by electricity.

"Nooooooooo!" she shouted as tears streamed down her face. "You can't leave me! I need you!" she shouted as her arms tightened around his neck. "I'm not letting you go!" she cried.

"Karen, what the heck is the matter with you?" Kenny asked as he looked into her sister's fear stricken face. "Honey, I just have to go to work!" he explained. "Look, here comes Kevin. See if he'll hang out with you!"

Karen's crying only got worse. Kenny was about to be late for his job, and he had a sister that couldn't be calmed. He had no clue what to do.

"Okay!" Kenny said over the little girl's shrieking. "I'm calling my boss! See?" he said as he dialed the number to his boss. "I'm not leaving you alone. See?" he said trying to get her to calm down.

"Hello? Mr. West? Yeah, I'm probably going to get fired, but I can't make the shift today. I'm not sure, but my little sister's really sick." He muttered. "I'm sorry sir. Cover for me?" Kevin nodded vigorously.

"I'll send my brother." He said as he caught the older boy's eye. "Thank you." He said as he hung up the call.

Kenny couldn't believe his eyes. Karen kissed him, let him go, and pranced up to their room as if nothing had just happened. Kenny looked at Kevin as Kevin grabbed his coat.

"Fix it, Kenny. I'm beginning to think there's something wrong with that girl." Kevin muttered. "What if someone's bullying her?"

"You guys?" Kenny asked the next day as the boys were all sitting around Stan's living room. Karen was sleeping on Kenny's lap. She had stayed up all night waiting for Kevin to come home the previous night. Well, she still loved Kevin, anyway. "I need your help." He muttered. "I think you might be right."

"What?" Kyle asked a little worried. "You still don't have chest hair?"

"No!" Kenny shouted softly. "I was talking about my sister." And he proceeded to talk to his friends about the events that ensued yesterday.

"You should take her to therapy." Stan said looking worried. "But…, do you have chest hair?" he asked curious.

"That's not the point!" Kyle said trying to stay on topic. "Something serious could be going on at school."

"But she's not crazy." Kenny muttered sadly.

"Kenny," Kyle said softly. "Therapy isn't just for people who are crazy. It's also for someone who is having trouble dealing with something that has recently happened to them."

"At this point, it's time to do just that if you wanna figure your sister out." Stan said softly. "What could go wrong? You have health insurance, right?"

"Does my insurance cover mental health?" Kenny muttered.

"So wait…, about the chest hair…?" Stan asked curiously.

"Dude!" they all shouted.

"Karen, honey," Kenny said as he tried to leave for his job again. "I need to talk to you."

"What?" Karen asked looking happily at her brother. "Are you going to take me somewhere fun?"

"No." he said softly. "I'm trying to go to work, honey. But you won't let me leave, and it's really getting in the way of that."

"You don't love me!" Karen said softly. "First my best friend dies, and now…, you don't love me." she whispered.

"Whoa!" Kenny shouted as he looked at his sister. "Your best friend died?" he asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Nothing." Karen said as she started crying. "Just go." She sobbed. "I don't love you either, Kenny McCormick! I hate you. I hope the next time an earthquake hits you, you die!" she shouted as she ran off upstairs.

"KareBear!" Kevin asked as he watched his sister running to their room. What's the matter?" he asked trying to hold her.

She punched him in the face and ran off. Her sobs were really painful, and it sounded like she was really truly hurt.

"Holy shit, Kevin." Kenny gasped as he stared at his brother. "We've gotta fix this, once and for all."

"My name is Kerri." Said the girl as she walked into the McCormicks' house. "I do outpatient cases like this one." She said as she looked around at Kevin and Kenny. Their parents had gone out to dinner with the Broflovskis. It had been two days since the last outburst, and Karen wouldn't leave her room. She was devastated.

"Are you gonna try to help my sister?" Kenny asked a little sad. "Is there anything you think you can do?"

"I'm sure we can get to the bottom of this." Kerri said softly. "With no bruising this time." She said as she glimpsed Kevin's slowly healing black eye.

"Where is she?"

"Karen?" Kevin said softly as he knocked on her door. "Someone wants to talk to you." He said softly. "Can you open the door?" he asked.

"Fine." Karen said as she opened the door. She looked at the girl, and she sighed. "One of Kevin's girlfriends, I'm sure." She said as she stepped into the room.

"I'm actually not his girlfriend." Said Kerri as she walked over to Karen's bed. "Is it okay if I sit?" she asked. "Boys, get out." She said assertively.

Karen smiled as she closed the door. "How did you do that?" she asked. "You're really assertive." She muttered. "I wanna learn to do that."

"What do you think you can gain by being assertive?" Kerri asked as she sat down and grabbed a teddy that had been on Karen's pillow.

"I would be able to look after myself. I wouldn't have to depend on Kevin or Kenny the Traitor McCormick." She muttered looking at the therapist. "You have my bear. What are you doing with my bear?" she asked.

"That's assertive." Kerri said smiling. "I happen to like this bear. How did you get him?" she asked.

"His name is Teddy." Karen said softly. "Kenny gave him to me. Kenny and Kevin both, actually. It was a birthday gift."

"You keep him really clean and neat." Kerri said smiling. "He smells nice, Karen."

They talked for a while. Kerri trying to figure out what the problem was. But she seemed to be getting nowhere. Karen caught on twenty minutes into the session.

"Did you know…," she said with a small smile. "The word therapist is actually the rapist if you space it out?" she asked.

"That's very astute for your age, honey." Kerri said as she shivered a little.

"I know. But Kenny and Kevin hate me, and so they send in a special psych doctor to deal with it." She said growling.

"Karen, Kevin and Kenny want to help you." Kerri said softly. "Sometimes, it's really hard for people to talk to their family members about what's going on with things. So they bring in the big T." she said softly. "Let's try a different exercise then, since you caught on." She said. "Why don't you try drawing me a picture." She said as she gave Karen a piece of nice paper. "You like drawing?" she asked as she handed Karen really nice charcoal paints.

Karen handed her back her piece of paper ten minutes later. There were tears in her eyes as she handed her the paper. Kerri looked at the picture and smiled. She sat down with Karen in the bean bag chair, and put an arm around her. "Tell me who each of them are?" she asked.

"This is my mom, this is my dad, and this is Kevin." Karen said as she pointed to all the members of the family in the house.

"Why is this person outside of the house?" Kerri asked pointing to the miniature version of Kenny.

"Because he was late." Karen said bitterly with a growl in her voice.

Kevin and Kenny had been outside the door the whole time. Kenny gently stepped into the room, and listened and watched.

"Tell me about it." Kerri said softly as she tightened her hold on Karen's little frame.

"We had a really bad earthquake, and Kenny wasn't there." Karen said as she began to cry.

"Is that what's been bothering you this whole time?" Kenny asked as he settled into the bean bag with them. Kevin came and settled in on the other side of Kerri.

"I didn't know where you were for like two whole days!" Karen said with tears in her eyes as she let go of Kerri and went into Kenny's arms. "The quake hit, and I really was scared. I didn't know where you were, and everything was falling down around us." She sobbed.

Kerri and Kevin both had tears running down their faces as well. Kevin reached out and wrapped an arm around Kerri.

"Honey, why couldn't you just tell me that!?" Kenny asked as he held his sister tight. "You saw me three hours later, Karen. You saw that I was okay!"

"You don't know what it felt like though!" shouted Karen as she started shivering. "It was really scary!" she shouted. "Stuff was really falling down, and everyone was crying!" she shouted.

"I'm right here, sweet heart!" he said as he held her. "I'm right here. I'm okay, and I'm not going to let anyone hurt you!" he said as he stroked her hair. "Kevin's here to take care of you if I'm not, dear." Kenny said as he kissed Karen.

"Karen, there's always a reason to worry." Kevin said softly. "Because Kenny is really prone to getting into accidents. But what you don't understand is that Kenny can't ever leave us because of an earthquake. Honey, in Colorado, it's really rare. That earthquake was a fluke."

"Do you guys promise me that everything will be okay?" she asked. "Always?"

"Karen, that's impossible to promise. "Kenny said as he held her. "But we can promise that if things are not okay, we'll be right there to fix it. Both of us, or one of us, or all of us!" Kenny explained.

"So Miss Kerri can come back?" Karen asked smiling.

"I would love to." Kerri said through a sob.

"Are you crying, Kev?" Kenny asked.

"I have allergies." Kevin lied. "You guys never clean this room."

"Ken?" Karen asked smiling. "I have to ask you something. I heard you were getting chest hair. Is it true?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Driving with Caution!**

Kenny walked up on a very sad looking girl. She looked miserable, as she sat in the rain. He noticed her eyes were closed, and she didn't see him. He reached out, and touched her shoulder. She shrieked, and looked up. Her eyes were really red. Which was convenient, because that's who he was staring at.

"Hey, kitten." He said smiling. "What's the matter with you?"

"I'm waiting for the stupid bus." She muttered as she stared at the floor.

Only the two most guarded over kids didn't have a car. Red and Butters. Butters, because his mom and dad were too afraid he'd run away. Red because her mom and dad thought her too emotional to have a car and not get anyone killed. The rest of the kids either were carpooling, biking, or just took the bus. Although, most of the bus riders consisted of middle schoolers and Freshman who couldn't drive yet.

"I know I'm not exactly Mr. Rich Boy, and all." Kenny said softly. "But would you like a ride to school?" he asked concerned.

"Since when do you have a car?" she muttered.

"Since I saved up enough from working at the mini mart to buy one." He said patiently. "Would you like a ride, miss lady?" he asked again kindly.

"What do you want, anyway, Kenny?" Red asked as she followed him without saying yes to the offer.

"What makes you think I want something, kiddo?" he asked as he walked her to the passenger seat. He opened the door for her, and she slid in. He handed her her seatbelt, and she put it on as he slammed the door shut.

She waited for him to get in, before she resumed her conversation. "Well, let's see. You hardly ever talk to me, and you hardly ever notice that I exist." She observed. "Oh, and did I mention that you hardly ever talk to me?" she asked defensively.

"I saw you sitting there miserable." He said as he started up the car and turned on the heat. "I just thought I'd do you a favor. You could've said no if you really didn't feel comfortable with the idea of me driving you, you know." He muttered as he turned out of the parking lot and drove off.

"It's not that. Look, can we drive in silence?" she asked sighing. "It takes a while to get to North Park, and I'm really sleepy." She said sighing.

"Sure, Red. Anything you ask." He said as he kept driving. _Please don't let me crash and kill us off. _Kenny thought as he drove off.

"Mom, it's so bad, even the poor kid has a car!" Red shouted that same day after dinner. "Please, dad. Will you guys let me get my permit, and teach me how to drive?" she asked groaning. "I am so embarrassed. No one will car pool with me, and I really don't wanna have to get up early just to take the bus!"

"But the McCormick kid gave you a ride today, honey." Red's dad said looking at his wife quizzically. "You said so yourself. So how is it that no one will car pool with you? Next time, give the boy a little money for gas, and you won't feel like a mooch." He said as he pushed his chair out. "I'm going to the living room, dear." He muttered. "I'll let you deal with your daughter."

"Hey, if you let me deal with her, you won't like what I have to say, Rich. So why don't you help us solve this problem."

"Can't we solve it after the game?" Richard asked looking stressed. "I don't wanna miss the finals! The super bowl is this Sunday!"

"Either you help us, or I'll take the easy route, and give her a permit by Wednesday." Her mom said bitterly.

"Go dad.!" Red shouted excitedly. "The game is on."

"Nice try, girlie." Her dad said as he sat back down. "Fine. What is a reasonable compromise?" he asked as he took a drink from a glass on the table.

"How about," Red thought excited. "I prove to you that I can handle my schooling, my job, and still have time to go out for driving lessons." She said looking hopeful. "I can go down and take the test tomorrow during lunch!" she exclaimed. "Trust me, everything will be all right!"

"If we let you do this, you have to promise not to rush into getting a car right away." Mom said as Red bounced in her chair.

"Mom, I'm not going anywhere, and no I won't get a car right away." Red said smiling. "so, can I do that then?" she asked grinning.

"We'll pay for your test." Her dad said as he got up and ran off to the living room.

Red was the most excited kid that day at work. She worked as the pharmacist for the local drug store. Kenny worked here too. His shift would start just as the pharmacy would close, so they would always see each other. However, Kenny hardly ever paid mind to Red.

"You look happy, today, Becky." He said smiling brightly at her.

"My name is Red. Don't call me anything else. I already get that from my house." She said softly.

"Sorry." Kenny said smiling. "Anyway, you look happy today."

"Mom and dad finally agreed to let me take the driver's Ed test to get my permit!" she said smiling. Kenny was the first person she told.

"Way to go, honey!" he said smiling. "My little girl is growing up!"

Red didn't pay attention to him. He always did this kind of thing to all the girls. He always called them by names of endearment. They all liked it. So it was really nothing special, and no reason for Red to be getting her hopes up that Kenny might be noticing her for a special reason.

"Good luck at your shift, Kenny." She said as she left.

"I'll pick you up in the morning." Kenny said smiling. "It's going to rain, and there was rumors of a thunder storm."

"Thanks." Red said smiling. "What do I owe you?" she asked.

"Pass the test. I'll teach you how to drive if you want." He said as he walked away.

"Bye Ken." Red whispered as she left the store. She wished he could drive her home. But oh well.

The next day, she awoke with a bright smile, and felt well rested. She couldn't wait to get to school. The sooner time passed, the closer she was to having her permit. Oh she couldn't wait.

Once again, Ken and her drove in silence. She slept most of the way, and she didn't really say much. Kenny noticed that although she was excited, she looked exhausted.

"Red, is everything okay?" he asked looking at her with worry.

"Yeah." She muttered. "I'm just having a hard time. School and work are kicking my over worked ass." She muttered. "I want the world to stop turning so I can get off."

"Don't do that." Kenny said as he pulled into a spot in the school lot.

"Why not, mother Teresa?" Red asked snobbishly.

"Well, my child," Kenny said as he took off his seatbelt. "You are the future. You are way too special to be thinking about suicide, or any other kind of cide. Yuh hear?" he asked as he gave her hand a squeeze. "Cheer up. If you want, why don't you just quit one of your jobs?"

"Kenny, I need the money. Now more than ever if I'm going to save up for a new car. Listen, I gotta go. I don't wanna be late." And with that, she was off.

Kenny walked out of his third period after which he had lunch. He looked around and saw Red headed towards the front door. He looked at his friends, said bye, and left.

"What do you want?" Red asked a little harshly.

"I wanted to know what you were up to. Wanted to see if you wanted to eat with us." He said smiling.

"No." Red said grinning. "I'm leaving. I'm going to take the bus down to the DMV and take my test." She said determinedly

"I'll drive you." Kenny offered.

"I thought you just said you were going to eat?" she asked looking strangely at him.

"Just let me drive you. It would take less time, too, if I did." He added smiling hopefully at her.

"Fine, Kenneth." She muttered. "I'll play your little game. I'll let you drive me to the DMV." She muttered.

Kenny was the kindest boy. Red had to keep reminding herself that Kenny did this kind of thing for all the girls. She was nothing special. She still had butterflies as she waited with him. He hooked his arm through hers five minutes into their wait. She looked down at their arms, and stared at Kenny. She could feel red creeping up her neck.

"Want me to let go?" he asked smiling.

"I'm good." Red said without making a big scene. After all, Kenny was this flirty with a lot of girls, she was nothing special.

"Rebecca?" asked a lady.

"I'll be waiting right here when you come back, as a permit holder." Kenny said as he hugged her.

She left without saying a word, and went to take her test. She looked down at the booklet five minutes later and nearly died. She had nothing to be afraid of. She knew all these questions. She had drilled herself all through endless study sessions at both of her jobs. She could do this. She was a champion. She could do this.

After the test was over, she felt miserable again. She had failed. She was sure of it. The lady who administered the test smiled as she came back in to the room.

"You passed, missie." She said smiling. "Here's your temporary permit, and one will arrive in the mail shortly within five business days." The lady said happily. "Come on, let's go."

"Kenny!" Red shouted as she ran out to her friend.

"How did you do, darlin'?" Kenny asked as he clasped her hand in his.

"I was miserable the whole time!" she shouted. "I was for sure I had failed! But guess what?" she asked excited. "I passed! I got my permit! I'm street legal!" she shouted.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" said the lady as she escorted them both to the door. "You are not to drive without a person with a license in the car." She warned. "It will get you into serious trouble."

When they got in the car, Red started to cry. Kenny turned to her, and hugged her. He smiled as he kissed her cheek. "I told you you would pass." He said smiling. "And you still have time for me to drop you off at your job." He said as he wiped tears away with his hand.

"Thanks for being there, Ken." She said smiling. "I really appreciate it."

They stopped at a pizza place, and Kenny bought both of them pizza pretzels. Red smiled at him.

"Thanks, Kenny. I'll pay you back."

"I didn't say you needed to." Kenny said smiling. "Think of it as your passing a test present." He said flirtatiously.

"Will you go out with me?" Red asked her dad as he lay on the couch that Saturday.

"Sure." He said sighing. He was sitting with Kenny's dad drinking a beer. He stood up. Ken's mom was at her house with Red's mom engaged in a makeup party or something.

"I'm gonna miss you!" Red's dad said pretending to cry as he hugged Stuart.

"Don't forget me!" Stuart said as he too pretended to cry.

"If I die, please remember that I didn't want to save your ass in high school!" Red's dad sobbed. "It was God that compelled me to! The jock totally should've beat you up, and you know it!"

"I promise." Stuart said as he wiped fake tears from his eyes. "If you die, I'll wait at least a year before I ask your wife to let me have your Porsche!" he sobbed.

"I love you man!" Red's dad said as they pulled away.

Soon, Red and her father were in the car. He sighed as they both put on their seatbelts.

"Now." Red's dad said as he watched her start up the car. "I want you to go down Main street, from here to first Avenue. Then, I want you to make your way safely to Starks pond." He said as he took in deep breaths.

"Oh cool!" Red said smiling as she started backing out of the driveway. "You're having me drive down one of the big streets so I can experience a lot of traffic!" she said smiling.

"No." Red's dad said sadly. "Hell's pass and two churches are on the way. I figure if we get killed, or I need a priest, I'll be safe passing through there."

"Dad!" Red said bitterly. "You're mean."

"You're going too fast!" he shouted as she sped up to pass a car on the right. "Okay! Pull back to your side!" he shouted.

"Dad calm down!" Red said looking at her mirrors. "You're making me nervous!"

"Turn!" he shouted as a turn came up on them. "You're going too fast!" he shouted.

"Dad, stop!" Red said trying to keep calm. "You're making me feel very very scared."

"Well then slow down." He warned. "Red I'm not ready to die yet, baby."

"Stop!" he shouted as he spotted a stop sign.

"Don't worry, dad! I see it!" Red said as she stopped.

"You're too close to the guy in front of you!" he shouted.

Red started to go. "What are you doing!?" shouted her dad. "It didn't turn green yet!"

"Yes it did!" shouted Red as she started going. "Dad will you calm the hell down?" she asked as she tried to regain her own composure.

"No! You're driving like a mad woman!" he shouted. "Go to your side now!" he shouted as she passed a Mustang.

"Dad I'm going to my side! Please don't shout!" she shouted as she lost control of the wheel.

They both screamed. Red lost control, and the car drove up to the curb and stopped on the grass. Dad was furious.

"That's it!" shouted her dad as he undid his seat belt. "Switch sides, we're done. Are you okay?" he asked as a tear came to his eye.

"Yes." Red muttered. "I'm fine."

"No! I was talking to my car!" he shouted as he patted a seat.

"How was driving?" asked mom as they both walked into the house.

"Horrible!" both of them said as the door slammed behind them.

"Why?" Red's mom asked as she put down the dish she was washing.

"Dad's a crazy wreck!" Red shouted as she stomped off upstairs.

"Your daughter is driving, almost as if she knows exactly how to drive! She almost killed us three times!" he shouted as he sat down on the couch. "She thinks she knows every rule of the street, Anne!" he shouted. "She thinks she knows everything now that she has a permit!"

"Well, dear, she did pass her test." Anne said softly. "That must mean something."

"Look, let's not talk about this. Okay? I'm really really upset, and I just wanna relax. Let's just let it go."

"I'm going out driving with Red." Said Kenny two days later on a Monday morning.

"But you two have school." Her dad said bitterly.

"She's taking us there. The long way." Kenny said smiling.

"Oh, come on!" her dad shouted as he grabbed Red by the arm.

"You can't drive to school! You haven't even finished your breakfast!" he begged.

"Dad, Kenny is going to take really good care of me." Red said looking pleadingly at her father. "Please let go of me, and let me go to school." She said calmly.

"Ken, if you don't make it, I'll tell your dad you love your mom more." Red's dad muttered as he let go of his daughter.

"Sure." Kenny said smiling. "We'll see you two later."

"Why didn't you say anything!?" Red's dad shouted as the door closed. "Kenny is going to kill our daughter!"

"Look, honey. You're going to have to let her grow up." Anne said bitterly. "Whatever pain you may be going through, I'm going through worse." She said sadly.

"Nuh uh." Muttered her dad. "How can you possibly understand what I'm feeling right now?" he said sadly.

"I bore her." Anne said as her gaze got serious. "Kenny wants to go out with her, she wants to drive, she's growing up. We have to face that."

"Kenny wants to what?" he asked looking at her terrified. "She's grounded!"

"Richard!" Anne shouted as she stood up. "Give your daughter some freedom! Please."

"Anne, you don't get it! We give her permission to drive and date, next she'll be asking us for a house to herself, or…, birth control!" he shouted as his face got red.

"At least she'll be asking us! Not sneaking off and doing it!" shouted Anne. "If we give her this little bit of freedom, she is less likely to sneak off and do bad things against our wishes. She will follow our rules, I am telling you."

"Fine. Fine. I'll show you. Kenny's going to come back from school with a broken leg, and his bug will be totaled."

"How's your morning?" Kenny asked as he put on his seat belt.

"Bad. I don't wanna talk, Kenny. I just wanna drive." She muttered as she started the car and backed out.

They got to school in no time at all. Kenny was quite proud.

"Okay, show off." Kenny said smiling devilishly. "You got us to school safe. Now the real question is, can you parallel park?" he asked smiling.

"Hell yeah." Red said as she did as she was told. "Boom baby." She said in a low voice.

"I'm really proud of you, Red." Kenny said smiling. He took her hand and kissed it. "Let's go." He said smiling.

When she got home, her dad was alone in the living room. She looked away, and tried to get to her room.

"Where's mom?" she asked sadly.

"She's out with Kenny's mom doing the grocery shopping." His dad muttered as he stared at her. "Can you sit down with me for a moment?" he asked.

"Dad, look. I'm sorry for making you afraid, and blah blah blah. I won't do it again. I have to get ready to do my homework. Today's my day off, and I wanna get stuff done before dinner." She said bitterly.

"Red, honey, please sit with daddy." He muttered.

"Fine." Red said as she put her bag down by the stairs and sat down. "What?" she asked as she stared at him.

"I wanted to say, that I'm sorry. For being too smothering, and over protective with you." He said bitterly. "I was the oldest out of six kids, honey, and the baby was my little sister, Sammy." He muttered. "I made sure Sammy never got hurt, in trouble, or pretty much grew up." He said bitterly. "I guess I had the impression that I had to do the same with you, because you were my daughter." He muttered. "I'm really sorry. I really love you, honey, and I'll give you anything you ask. It's just, you're growing up so fast, it's incredibly painful." He muttered as he started to shiver.

"I'm sorry." Red said softly. "Maybe I should tell my age to stop climbing, and we can all be happy."

"Red, this would be so much easier on me if you were a boy." Her dad said bitterly.

"Dad, that is the most sexist—"

"—Red," her dad interrupted. "Listen to me. We boys…, we get hurt and we get back up again within a minute. When a woman gets hurt, honey, everyone has to worry. Because it's a lot harder for you guys to cope. You're hurt physically, you're always emotionally hurt, honey, you're always putting me on overload!" Red's dad said bitterly. "Kenny's flirting with you, and you're driving. What's next, sex?" Red's dad said bitterly.

"That was two months ago." Red said smiling blissfully.

"Rebecca!" shouted her dad standing up. "Who the fuck was it?!" he shouted.

"Dad!" Red yelled bitterly. "Calm down! Okay? I'm still your little girl. I have not had sex, nor do I plan on it anytime soon!" she said smiling. "Relax. You and mom raised me better than that." She said smiling. "I wouldn't go out and do anything stupid like that unless I was stupid, loved the man I was with, and was out of high school." She said smiling.

"I'm sorry." Her dad muttered. "The thought of you growing up too fast makes me crazy." He muttered. "I want you to be my little Red forever." He said softly. "But I know that's not possible."

"Well, dad, I promise with every decision in life, I will be very careful." She muttered. "I'm really proud of you for letting me drive now. I'll just need to borrow the car for tomorrow." She said smiling.

"I love you." Her dad said as they hugged. "Get Kenny to drive you." He said smiling. "He really has a thing for you, you know." He said smiling.

"You're the sweetest dad ever." Red said as she hugged him and they both began to weep silently.

"Hey you two." Her mom said as she came in through the front door.

"Can't you see we're feeling in here?" sobbed Richard as he held his daughter.

"I guess all's well that ends well, huh?" Ken asked the next day as Red drove them to school.

"Yeah." Red said grinning at her friend. "Dad's growing up."

"You are too. It's really sad. All of us are." He muttered.

"Kenny, I have to ask you." Red said as she pulled into the gas station. "Will you go in there and get me a smoothie?" She was going to try to get the courage to ask him out. But she changed her mind. She was nothing special, after all.

"Yes." Kenny said simply as he undid his seatbelt. "As long as you go out with me."

"What?" Red asked looking at his face to see the joke. She found none.

"I asked your dad. He said yes." Kenny said as he took her hand. "Please go out with me, Red?." He muttered looking straight into her eyes.

"Yes." Red whispered as she sat there stunned.

"Thank you." Kenny said as he let go of her. "Would you like anything else with that smoothie?"


	4. Chapter 4

You're Just Now Getting Started

I awoke on a bright sunny day, not knowing what to do with my Sunday. I looked over at my calendar, and looked at my clock. I guess my son day was decided for me. Today was the big career fair at Middle Park High. Dammit, I hate school, and I hate it even more when said school interferes with my Sunday. I got dressed slowly, and walked down stairs. My mom and dad were still asleep, and by the looks of it, Shelly was too. I walked into the living room, and turned on the light. I heard a phone start to ring. It was Afroman's Because I Got High. I looked around and saw Kenny pull out his phone, and turn it off. He sighed.

"I hit snooze for like five times now." He mumbled.

"The fuck are you doing here?" I asked softly. "How come I didn't know you were here?"

"I snuck in right about eleven. Everyone was already out." Kenny said as he rolled over.

"I could've given you blankets, Ken." I muttered as I walked into the kitchen. "Stupid dumb school."

"Aw, come on Stan. It's not gonna be that bad. Why are you going anyway?" he asked. "It's not mandatory."

"No but I'm getting a C in my stupid History class. And he's giving an extra credit assignment if we go to the fair." He muttered.

"Hey, is your dad going to be there again?" Kenny asked cracking up.

"No! He's an incompetent geologist. He only gets smart when he needs to, otherwise he's a complete clown." Stan muttered.

"Well, let's eat breakfast and hurry down there. Who knows who's going to be there to humiliate themselves." He muttered.

"Is there anymore lucky charms?"

Stan handed over the box, and he grabbed himself an already made peanut butter jelly sandwich. He poured himself a glass of milk, and started eating. It was a peaceful silence, up until the door opened and in came Stan's dad. He looked angry and sad as he walked over to the living room couch and turned on the television.

"Oh, Mr. Marsh." Kenny said as he put his plate in the dish washer. "You're too good for them anyway." He said as he walked over to the man.

"You think so, Kenny?" he asked sighing. "I've been doing it for a couple years now, and I can't believe they didn't ask me this time."

"Oh, come on. Geology is something no high schooler would even begin to understand anyway. All the other guest speakers are wasting their time too." He said smiling.

"Thanks. Stan, you're not disappointed that your old man isn't up their speaking, are you?" he asked.

"No dad." Stan said from the kitchen. "I'm disappointed that your son is going to be over there though." He muttered. "I hate school. And I hate career fairs. Fucking dumb school." He muttered.

"Oh suck it up." Kenny said as he grabbed a spot on the couch.

When they both finished, they both grabbed their packs, and left. Kenny was not looking forward to this, and neither was Stan. He didn't look too happy as they piled into Kenny's mustang and drove off to middle park. Stan picked up Kenny's IPod and dug through the list of songs. He finally settled for Sonique.

"Don't get too excited." Kenny muttered. "'Member it's just a career fair."

They finally got to school, and parked. Kenny and Stan got out of the car and Kenny made sure to lock it. He left the car and came up to the front doors with Stan. They both walked in and followed the rest of the kids to the auditorium. Stan making faces all the while.

"Where's your dad, Stan?" Wendy asked.

"Sick." Stan lied.

"That's too bad. I wanted to see a volcano video." She muttered.

"I don't." Stan whispered to Kenny as they walked to the back row and sat down.

"I hate this shit!" Cartman said bitterly. "Why is Wendy here?" he asked bitter. "She has the highest grade in the class. You don't need the credit, go home."

"I want to learn, Cartman." She muttered. "So shut up and worry about your own self."

Mr. Mackey stood there trying to get everyone to be quiet. No one would. The mayor finally yelled so loud, that everyone was quiet.

"I don't know why they're doing this." Stan muttered as he sat there trying to adjust to the dim lights. "We have a town full of incompetence. A stupid geologist, a bisexual uneducated mayor, a preschool police officer…, need I say more?"

"Today we're going to have a few guest speakers here to talk to you about what is it they do in life." Mackey said as he stood up on the stage. "They have taken time off their busy schedules to come and speak to you all, so make sure you give them the respect they deserve. Please welcome first to the stage, Our very lovely Mayor of South Park!" he said as the place erupted in applause.

Kenny started to observe the people around them. He stopped listening to the mayor, and started to observe the people as they all drifted off in their own ways. Stan's head fell on Kenny's shoulder and he drifted off. Butters was paying attention to her every word. Bebe was painting her nails, Kyle was listening to the Mayor along with Wendy, and Cartman was on Kenny's other side texting. Wait, no. He wasn't texting. The fool was taking pictures of his face! Kenny looked at him with a dubious smile. His phone vibrated, and he looked at the text. It was Cartman.

"Why shouldn't I take pics of myself? I look amazing."

Kenny saw Cartman look at him for a response. Kenny stuck his tongue out at him, and Cartman blushed.

Kenny watched as the whole place erupted into applause, and Kenny watched Stan jerk up nervously as he woke up. He laughed, and Stan glared at him.

"Uh, now, up next, mmmkay, is a very special person we all know and love. He helps settle arguments the mature way. Uh, mmmkay, give it up for Mr. Broflovski. Here to tell us all what being a lawyer is all about."

Kenny and the rest only paid attention to their favorite career speaker. After all, you only had to write about one. Stan was the only one who felt like crap. He had the same feeling he'd gotten when he turned ten and everything started to feel, look, taste, and smell like shit. He looked over at the clock, and saw it was one forty-five.

"And now, we have two special surprises." Mackey said excited. "First up, it's Tony Hawk!" he said. The whole place screamed.

"I think a lot of reflection paper topics just changed." Kenny said laughing.

"Hello, middle park high!" Tony said smiling. "My understanding is that you all have to write about your favorite speaker." He said smiling. "I think a lot of topics just changed, Mackey."

After that, Kenny noticed a lot of people were listening this time. He smiled as he looked on and watched the man on stage talking about his career. After that, it was all about Mackey, and what it was like to be a counselor. The class returned to normal, and glazed looks appeared in their eyes again. Kenny laughed.

"And now, uh, give it up for someone all you cats and chicks seems to like a lot. Give it up for Mr. Marshall Mathers. He specially requested to be last."

"Oh my God, it's my hero!" Kenny shouted as he stood up on his chair. "I love you, Slim!" he shouted.

It took a little while for the speaker, and Mackey, to shut the class up so the speech could restart again. He looked very nice up on stage with a suit and tie.

"Uh, no flash photography, mmmkay!?" Mackey shouted.

"Hello." Marshall said as he stood in Mackey's place. He sighed. "I was so excited when my manager told me I was going to speak for you guys. I thought, what a great opportunity to influence the minds of several—" he stopped. "Shit. I can't do this, Mackey." he said as he got off stage. "Take me home, Citrus." He was heard saying to someone back stage.

The whole place was ablaze with talk as he was seen leaving the auditorium. Kenny looked at Stan, who looked confused. They both wondered what was going to happen.

"I'm on Facebook!" Token said from two rows down from them. "Eminem's going to be doing a performance for the town, seeing as he couldn't speak for the school like he was supposed to. He's holding it in Denver."

"So is it for Colorado?" Wendy asked as she swooned in her seat.

"Yeah! Tickets are twenty-five bucks each!" Token said as he read from his phone.

"Let's go, Ken." Stan said as the whole auditorium started getting up to leave. Kenny and Stan made their way out as quick as they could. Kenny needing to get back home to help Karen with her homework.

"Thanks for the ride back home." Stan said as he got out. "I'll see you later."

For the next couple days, everything was normal. No stress, no hassle. Just everyday life in South Park. Stan felt a little happy as he walked home from the store after having picked up milk for his mom. He burst through the door to find, Kyle and Kenny sitting on his couch talking to his mom, Shelly, and Marvin.

"Well, I hope my Billy doesn't make a wreck out of himself. His sister sure didn't."

"Ca'mon grampa." Shelly said sighing. "It's a tough time in a person's life." She said as she handed Stan a letter.

It was the date of his SAT appointment. He froze. He was supposed to go take the test on Wednesday. This meant he was supposed to miss school. Oh my god he was going to choke.

"Stan, honey? Did you bring the milk?" Sharon asked looking at his face.

"Yeah." Stan said as he handed her the milk. He handed her back the change and walked off. He forgot who was in his living room. There was a knock on his door as he lay on his bed staring.

"Can we come in, Stan?" Kyle asked at the door.

"Sure." Stan muttered. "Just don't quiz me or nothin'." He muttered as Kenny and Kyle came in.

"I have mine tomorrow." Kyle said simply. "I can't wait."

"I'm sure you'll do wonderful." Kenny said sweetly. "When we're working for you, will you make sure to pay us for our extra work, sir?" he asked.

"I'm not working as a boss." Kyle said softly. "I'm not that type of person."

The next few days were hell. Stan couldn't sit still to save his life. He tried to study, but he kept thinking of what would happen if he didn't study. He remembered how easy all those people at his career fair made it look. Finish school, and settle into your dream job. Great. He had nightmares of being caught cheating on his test, and being banished. Or worse. Of doing so badly on his test, they took his brain out for transplant. He didn't think he could handle it. He sighed as he woke up one morning, and started to get ready for school. He went out and walked down stairs to find his mom and Shelly in the kitchen.

"You want me to give you a ride, turd?" Shelly asked.

"Nah." Stan muttered.

"Don't look so glum, son." His mom said softly. "You'll do fine. I know you will. You get good grades." She said smiling.

"Stan, you'll be fine. Take it from me. I know you." Shelly said as she squeezed his shoulder. "You just might wanna change your underwear. It normally goes inside your pants." She said smiling.

When Stan had made sure he was properly dressed, he said goodbye to his mom and sister, and left. He didn't even know if he should catch the bus, or walk there. He was going to be in trouble. He just knew it. He had no clue where he was, when he started to cry. He sank to his knees, and sobbed. He started feeling sick, and threw up into the bushes. He felt a hand on his shoulder. He didn't know what was going on.

"Kid!" said a familiar voice. "You okay?" the man asked as he held Stan's shoulder.

"No!" Stan sobbed. "I can't do this!" he yelled as he shook.

"Calm down." Said the stranger as he turned Stan around and helped him up.

"I'm a failure." Stan muttered as he looked at Marshall and his neat clothes. "I wanna go back home. Tell my family I couldn't do it. Maybe just kill me right here."

"Couldn't do what?" Marshall asked as he took a crumpled piece of paper from Stan's hands. "Aw crap. You got the SAT melt down." He muttered.

"Melt down?" Stan asked as he looked at the man standing in front of him.

"Let's go for a walk. You and me." Marshall muttered as he helped Stan to his feet.

"I can't!" Stan said as he started to sweat and cried some more. "I'm going to be late. I can't afford to be late."

"I promise, boy." Marshall said as he steered Stan back onto the sidewalk. "I will make sure you're not late." He said as he and Stan started walking slowly. "Tell me what's the matter." He pried.

"It all started with you mother fuckers!" Stan shouted as he pulled out of Marshall's grip. "It's all your fault!" he shouted as he pointed to Marshall. "You guys make it conveniently set up, don't you? You set up something called Career day, just so you can all go and rub it in our faces how you all have magnificent jobs!" Stan shouted. "How fucking convenient that right after that, is the SAT's! How fucking coincidental! We're all supposed to attend the stupid test like we've just been encouraged with all these speakers coming to talk to us about life, and the perks of having a job! I hate you! I hate all of you! Because of you, I'm a giant basket case!" he shouted as he started to cry and sank down to his knees again.

"Calm down, dude." Marshall said as he grabbed Stan and pulled him up to his feet and led him to a bench. "Calm down." He said as he sighed. "Why do you think I couldn't speak at that fair?" he asked as he slid an arm around the raven's shoulders. "I didn't want to lie to you. I didn't want to be up their acting like my job was amazing." He said as he looked Stan right in the eyes.

"But your job is amazing." Stan muttered as tears fell from his eyes. "You have everything you could ever want, and you're rich as fuck. You can pull out a joint right here, smoke it, and no one will give a damn because it's Slim Shady! Whup-D-Freakin'-Doo! Why would you not wanna talk to us about how rainbows and butterflies surround you wherever you go!?" Stan asked as he started to tremble. "You didn't even have to go through this hell. You're a fuckin' drop out!"

"Do you know, that was the biggest mistake of my life?" Marshall asked softly. "Just so you know…," he paused for a moment. ("Stan." Stan inserted his name.) "…Stan," Marshall continued. "I do not have everything I ever wanted. I don't. If I could turn back the hands of time, I would do whatever it took, to try and be a musician, and at the same time, keep a normal life. I would've fought harder not to become a drop out, like you called me. I promise you, kid. Dropping out of school is the dumbest thing I ever did."

"But why?" Stan asked through a sob. "It's not even that big a deal. I should just start taking SK online." He said as he rocked back and forth.

"Stanley, don't you wanna feel like you made something of yourself?" Marshall asked looking at his knees. "I don't. I don't have a high school diploma. I have nothing to show for myself as far as that part of my life goes. I have a record on me, son. You don't want that. My teens were full of running from the cops, drinking, and pot. Dude, I would give anything in the world to go back and finish out school. That way, I can prove to the world that I will amount to something. Not based on music, or rapping about drugs, or guns." Marshall said softly. "I didn't wanna speak at your school, because I really don't think my job is all that great. I talked to my man Tony about that, too. Do you know what he said to me?" Marshall asked softly. ""I really love skate boarding. But there are downsides." I listened to him as he told me all about the things that could happen to you while skating. I told him, "Why don't you just tell the kids what you just told me?" And do you know what he said? "Because I don't wanna be the damper on their spirits, dude. Skate boarding is a lot of fun." I couldn't speak there, because the protocol was that we tell you all about how fucking amazing our job is. That we all put on happy faces and talk about how easy it was to get to where we are in life. Look, Stan. I'm sorry. But it was sure as hell to get to where I am in life. I really hated the journey. Come to find out I also really somewhat hate the destination. You have to put in a lot of work to get anywhere. Even Show business, or singing. It's not all fun and games, kid. But it is worth it." Marshall said softly. "They wanna fill your heads with encouragement about how it's going to be amazing trying to achieve what you want in life. But you know, it's not all sunshine and butterflies." He said softly. "you're wrong. I don't have everything I ever wanted. I don't have a fucking diploma, I don't have a dad, I don't have a mom that loves me. I don't have privacy, kid. I can't feed my daughter out in public without the world recognizing me and trying to take pictures of me and my girl." He said as he sighed. "I wish you would just calm down. I understand what you're going through, not because of my own experience, but because I saw friends go through the same thing. I am telling you. Those tests are not going to kill you."

"But you don't understand. I could end up flippin' burgers in this town for the rest of my life. I could end up a homeless person." Stan sobbed. "Everything depends on this fucking test!" he shouted. "I wanna go home."

"Look," Marshall said softly. "Let me just talk to you. If by the time you're done listening, you still wanna go home, be my guest. I'll drive you. But just give me a chance, and hear me out." He muttered sadly. "Fair?" he asked.

"Sure." Stan muttered. "How bad could it be."

"The SAT's is nothing but an excuse for people to exclude and discriminate." Marshall said softly. "They exclude, because the SAT's are set up primarily for White children. It asks a lot of questions pertaining to the white race. So all the other people who are taking it don't even stand a chance in that section. In another form, the SAT's exclude people from getting into the college they want. Some schools look at SAT scores as a basis of letting you in." Stan started to cry even harder at this. "But wait!" Marshall said loudly trying to get the boy to listen. "What they don't tell you, is that there is an alternative. Most colleges say, a score of so and so on the SAT's, or an average of so and so credits to apply. So, please, Stanley. Don't think for one minute that if you bomb your SAT's, you will be doomed. Those are scare tactics, for the high school teachers to get you to do better. They don't realize that they are actually scaring half of the senior population when they tell them all this shit just to scare them." Marshall said softly. "You are going to be fine, and I promise, you'll do better than you think." He said as he looked at his friend in the face.

"You mean, if I do badly on these, they won't make me get a horrible job?" Stan asked softly.

"No!" Marshall said happily. "The worst that'll happen is that your mom and dad will be disappointed if you totally flunk. But still. You are going to do fine. I know you will. And your SAT's do not determine your future." He said softly. "Only the choices you make yourself." He muttered softly.

"Thank you, sir." Stan muttered. "You really came through for me today. I really appreciate that."

"I do what I can." Marshall muttered as he gripped Stan. "I hope everything goes well for you." He said softly. "I'm going to give you a ride to school, and I want you to give 'em hell." He said smiling. "You hear?" he asked cheerfully.

Stan went into the lecture hall expecting to feel nervous as all hell. But surprisingly, he felt fine. He was on time, he was cool, he was fine. He was going to give it his all, and he would do marvelously.

"I nearly died." Kenny said as he lay on Stan's couch sipping a glass of chocolate milk. "I really hope I never have to do that again." He muttered.

"I actually felt good." Stan said as he closed his eyes. "Whatever we get on them, they don't make or break us." He said softly. "We'll be just fine working under Kyle, anyway."

"At least you're smart enough to know they don't make or break you." Kenny said smiling. "Tweek nearly went into a seizure having a meltdown." He said smiling. "I wanna make something of myself." Kenny said smiling. "But whatever score I get, won't change the way I feel about a career. It's not going to determine my future."

Stan smiled. He would never be able to thank his hero for saving the day. And he would probably never be able to tell anyone and have them believe him. So, he just grinned, and sat there, holding that memory for himself. He would probably see Eminem in concert soon, anyway. _Thank you, Marshall. _Stan thought as he laughed inwardly.


	5. Chapter 5

**Feeling Wanted**

"Kyle!" said a tiny voice. "Kyle, talk to me, dude."

Kyle opened his eyes, to find a shadow standing right beside his bed. He sighed as he looked at Nelson and didn't bother to move.

"Nelson." He muttered. "It's Saturday morning. It is five fifty three. You better have a darn good reason for waking me up this early, and not bothering to wake up your daddy." He muttered.

"I'm scared." Nelson said softly as he stared down at Kyle.

"That's a good reason." Kyle muttered as he sat up. "What scared yuh, kid?" he asked pulling the boy into his lap.

"I don't like my new bed. It has no bars on it."

"Nelson, the reason why there ain't any bars, is because…," he tried to stifle a yawn. "…You climbed out of the bars and daddy thought it would be nice to get you a bed."

"Can you come and tuck me in?" he asked sadly.

Kyle got out of bed and went into the next room. He picked Nelson up and he put him down on his bed. He tucked the six year old in, and was about to leave.

"Where are you going uncle Kyle?" Nelson asked sadly. "Are you going to leave me?"

"No." Kyle said as a tear slid down his cheek. "I'm just going to turn off the light, and grab this _Arthur _book. I never got to figure out if Arthur found his library book or not." Kyle said as he sat in the chair beside Nelson's bed.

"I love you uncle Kyle." Muttered Nelson softly.

"I love you too, kid." Kyle said softly as he sat there with his book.

The next time he awoke, Nelson was listening to the phone ringing. He got out of his bed, and saw his uncle Kyle asleep on his chair. After he shook him awake, they both ran down stairs.

"Are you serious? Sure!" Ike was shouting. "I'll go down there with Kyle right now! I love you too, ma. See you soon."

"Wait!" Kenny gasped coming down the stairs slowly. "I thought Mrs. Brof wasn't supposed to be here 'til noon!?"

"She arrived early!" Ike said smiling. "Ky, come with me to get her. Nelson, jump in the shower, and be ready to greet gramma when she comes." Ike said gasping for breath. "I can't wait you guys!"

Kenny helped Nelson get the bathroom ready for his shower. He then left, and went down stairs to try and find stuff to clean. Ike and Kyle were neat freaks, and Kenny only cleaned so that Sheila would like him. He really couldn't care if it was messy or not. Soon the doorbell rang.

"Gramma!" Nelson was yelling as he ran out and hugged Sheila. She was beaming. She looked just as she did in Kyle and Ike's younger years. But now, she was sadder. She had taken the death of her husband very hard. Just like Ike had taken Flora's death hard too.

"My Bubula's getting very big!" Sheila said smiling. "I'm so glad to see you!" she said smiling. "How are you, bubby?" she asked smiling from ear to ear.

Nelson told her he was fine. "I'm getting ready for my Show-'N-Tell project! I have to show something of my culture that makes me a unique individual." He said smiling.

"That's great!" Sheila said smiling. "You can show yuh friends all about Jewish culture, bubby!"

Kenny and Ike looked at Kyle in the kitchen five minutes after all the greeting had been done. He was looking at how happy Sheila was.

"Your mom sure looks happy." Muttered Kenny softly. "I can't remember seeing her this happy, ever. … At least. Not for a while."

"I know." Ike said smiling. "She actually looks really nice."

"Pancakes!" She yelled a half hour later as she came out of the kitchen with a hand towel.

All of the boys rushed out into the kitchen and sat down. Kyle remembered how in the times when his father was still alive, and Ike was taking care of a little baby Nelson, Sheila would feed the whole family lots of food. Kyle also remembered when he went over to her house last, after the death of Gerald, Sheila fed the whole crew a lot of food as well. It was about to get a lot more fun with Sheila around.

He was right. By the end of the breakfast, everyone was walking around with full stomachs. Sheila took Nelson off to show him some present that she had gotten him. Kyle looked at his brother and sighed.

"You guys," Kyle said softly. "my mom really misses being wanted. She really liked cooking for us, guys."

"I really liked eating her food." Kenny said softly. "Damn dude, if your mom lives with us for the rest of our lives, I would not be angry with you, Kyle." He muttered as he rubbed his stomach.

"Look, I know my mom is really depressed about my dad's death." Ike said softly. "But dudes, we can't have mom move in just because she's really depressed over dad. I mean, I have enough people living here already." He muttered.

"C'mon, Ike." Kyle said softly. "When was the last time we laid around the house for a day? When was the last time we all ate together? I say we give her a chance." Kyle said softly. "I think it could work. Kenny and I don't have to be house wives anymore. We can actually date."

"Yeah. I have been making you two take care of Nelson an awful lot, haven't I?" Ike said softly.

"No, Ike!" Kenny said softly. "That's not what we're getting at. For the first time in a long time, we all ate together. Calmly. Your mom made pancakes, and we all sat at a table and ate them. With our buddy Ike at the head. When we all eat together, even on the weekends, your version of eating together is: me cooking, Kyle washing dishes, and you getting ready to go to work by answering the long ass list of emails in the morning while trying to eat what's on your plate. Nelson is the only one who sits at the dining room table, and we never saw a damn thing wrong with that 'til now. It's not right. Today, what I saw, was a family that really wanted to spend time with their grandmother, and best friend. I don't know about you, but I really liked it. Nelson seemed happy as well." He muttered.

Everyone stared. Kenny blushed. "I think I smoked too much last night. Or maybe it's the pancakes talking."

"Why the hell not." Ike said softly. "I'm going to let my mother go back to controlling my household. How bad could it get."

Just as the other two boys started laughing, Sheila came walking in. She gasped.

"Ike!" she gasped. "What's wrong with you, Bubby?"

"Why?" Ike asked rubbing his stomach.

"You don't usually leave a mess this long." She gasped. "Do you have a fever?"

"No." muttered Ike yawning. "I just think I'm really full of food." He muttered.

"Well, then, boys, go into the living room, and watch cartoons. I'll fix everything here. I can't wait for lunch! I'm making you all a really nice lunch!" she said happily.

"Ugh." They all moaned.

"I think there's pancake in my ear." Kyle muttered as he laid on the couch next to Kenny. Nelson was curled up on Ike's chest.

"I love you grammy!? Shouted Nelson as he and Sheila came walking through the door the next day.

"Where did you guys go?" Kenny asked as he finished his last piece of fudge.

"We went to the zoo!" shouted Nelson. "Gramma bought me a shark tooth! She said that it's good luck!" he said skipping past them.

"Mom." Ike said softly as he stared at the ground. "I told you not to spoil him. He's just a boy."

"But he's my boy!" she said smiling. "He'll appreciate the shark tooth. Trust me." she said smiling. "Ike, what did you do today?"

"I have to admit, ma, since you came here, I've been laying around the house all caught up with everything. I really appreciate it." He said smiling.

"We've been thinking…," Kyle said softly. "Why don't you move in with us?" he asked.

"I couldn't! " She said gasping. "I have a lot of things at the house that I can't bring here. There's just not enough room." She said sighing. "And where would I sleep?" she asked. "There's just not enough room here, dawling."

"I'll move in with Kenny." Kyle suggested. "And we'll get you a storage unit if you want."

"Hell," Kenny suggested. "we can make our attic her storage unit. There's enough room up there."

"What do you say, ma?" Ike asked. "Nelson could really use you around the house, and so could we."

"Oh, okay." She said softly. "I'll do it."

They had the most amazing time. Kenny and Kyle got to share a room,, Nelson got help with his homework now, and Ike didn't feel so worried about where his mom was, or wasn't.

"Ike, dear?" Sheila said as she walked into the room. "I'm going to take Nelson out to the store to pick out a new bed." She said smiling.

"Oh that is great." Ike said from the couch.

"What's the matter with you, baby?" asked Kyle pretending to be just like their mom.

"Shut up carrot top." Ike muttered looking at his mom pleadingly. "You better go, mom." He muttered.

"Seriously, honey. What's wrong?" Sheila asked.

"I took too many cold pills to try and get rid of my cold." Ike said softly.

"Wow." Kenny muttered from the television where he was changing the channels. "All this time I thought you fell asleep after breakfast cuz you were full of food."

"You've been out for hours, daddy." Nelson said as he touched Ike's head.

"He's got a fever." He muttered.

"No!" Ike said trying to get up. "Look, mom—"

"—I'm going to take you to the store another day, Nelson. Ike needs me right now." She said as she bent down to touch his head.

"Mom!" Ike said loudly as he grabbed her hand. "Take Nelson. Kyle and Kenny will take care of me. I know Nelson wants to go do this with you. Please, mom. Everything is okay."

"You promise?" Sheila said sighing. "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Take your time." Ike said smiling. "I want my son's first real bed to be really awesome. Not like my bed that he's sleeping on right now. I swear, mom. It was around in the war."

"Not only that," Nelson said smiling. "I wanna find a good race car bed." He said excitedly. "I'm going to have a blast with you, gramma!" he shouted as he jumped up and down holding his grandmother's hands.

"I know I'm going to have a lot of fun with you too, Nelson." She said smiling a bright grin. "After all, you aw my favorite grandson." She said laughing.

"Gramma," Nelson said giggling. "I'm your only grandson." He said hugging her. "I don't have to share."

The couple of laughing Broflovskis made their way out of the house. Ike started to snore again, and Kyle and Kenny laughed. They turned the television to a good movie, and settled down on the couch opposite Ike. Kenny ran upstairs fifteen minutes later and came back with a blanket. He threw it onto the Canadian, and Kyle grinned.

"Thank you, Kenny." He said softly. "I really hope he gets better soon."

Three hours later Nelson and Sheila came back from the store with Kyle's truck loaded up with a bed for the boy. He was the happiest Ike's ever seen him. He was thanking his grandmother over and over. Kenny and Kyle put together the bed while Sheila fed Ike some chicken soup. Nelson was so tired, he had to take a nap. Sheila watched over her two boys down stairs, while Kenny and Kyle put together the new bed. It was definitely a really nice race car bed. The six year old boy would really love it. They took apart Ike's old bed and took it up to the attic. When they went down stairs, Sheila was asleep on the floor with Nelson on the couch, and next to them was Ike. Kenny and Kyle both went into the kitchen to make some food.

"Oh, I am so sorry I fell asleep." Sheila said as she came walking into the kitchen forty-five minutes later. "I was supposed to make soup for your brother again, and was supposed to make dinner." She said sighing. "I think the day got the best of me. Nelson and I did a lot of walking."

"Mom, don't worry. We gotcha covered." Kyle said smiling at her. "We're glad to help anyway we can." He said softly.

"Besides," Kenny said as he washed his hands. "We got bored."

They all sat down for some dinner an hour later. It was homemade Chinese food. Ike was actually with them sitting on the chair at the head of the table. He looked a little better.

Two weeks passed without trouble. Sheila got her stuffed moved in day by day, with the help of her eldest son, and Kenny. Ike would help too, when he had time. Nelson was doing good in Kindergarten. It was a pretty ordinary spring. Nelson came into the living room one night looking for Sheila. He smiled as he saw her sitting on the couch making a sweater.

"Gramma?" he asked as he knelt down in front of her. "I have to do a Show-N-Tell project about Jewish stuff. Can you help me?" he asked as he snuggled up to her.

"Of course!" she said smiling a bright smile as she hugged her son back. "There is so much to tell about our people." She said smiling. "Why don't I show you a little dance you might like to know." She said as she took her little boy into the dining room. "It's called the Horah!" she said as she took Kyle's IPod from the dining room table and flipped through the songs. She found the one she was looking for and started playing it. As it played, she showed Nelson the steps to the dance. Kyle and Kenny came walking in.

"Come on, bubby!" Sheila said smiling at her son. "Join us!" she said grinning.

"Nah." Kyle said looking mortified at the dancers. "I'm a little busy right now." He said as they danced. Kenny got the hang of it, and soon, he too was dancing. He smiled as he and the other two danced. Ike came in, and soon, he was in on it too. Kyle slowly slid out of the room, and went back to his business.

Nelson went to sleep feeling happy that night. He was going to have so much fun showing his class the dance. Best of all, his grandmother would be there with him to show them all how it was done. He couldn't wait.

"See you guys later!" Nelson said two weeks later as he came home from school. He had just been dropped off by one of his friend's moms. He opened the door to his house, and walked in. Right away, he knew there was something wrong. He looked around the living room, but saw no one there. He walked into the kitchen, and he saw Kenny, Kyle, and Ike all sitting in chairs. Ike was holding Kyle's hand, and Kenny was holding Kyle's other hand. Nelson looked at the scene, and saw that they had all been crying. He looked at his dad, and looked at his uncle, and Kenny.

"What's going on here?" he asked. "Where's my grammy?"

Ike stood up letting go of Kyle and walked over to his son. He wrapped him up in a hug, and Nelson could feel the love in the man's arms. "Nelson, honey," Ike said as he tried not to cry. "I have some bad news." He said as he held his son and rocked him back and forth. "Grandma isn't here anymore." He said as Kenny and Kyle braced themselves for the reaction.

"Why?" Nelson asked hurt. "Did you guys kick her out? I really liked having her around here!" he moaned. "She made sure we all had plenty of food!" he said trembling. "How could you guys be so mean and tell her to leave?" he asked sadly. "She's our family! We don't leave our family behind." He said looking hurt.

"You don't understand, son." Ike said bitterly. "Grandma Sheila isn't with us anymore, because she's gone to heaven. She's dead, darling." He said as Kyle started to cry again.

"Dead?" Nelson looked at his father's face to see where the joke was. He didn't see his father with a happy expression. His father looked hurt. "What's dead?" he asked scared.

"Well, honey, Grandma is up there in heaven, with your momma." Ike said softly.

"You mean, I won't ever get to see her again?" Nelson asked as he started to tremble. "You're lying!" he shouted as he tried to get out of Ike's grip. "Gramma!" he shouted as he fought with his dad. "Gramma!" he yelled.

Ike let him go. He started to cry as Nelson ran upstairs trying to find his grandmother. Sheila was presently at the morgue waiting for her funeral arrangements. He could hear Nelson making a racket upstairs trying to find her. He finally was defeated, and came walking down stairs with tears in his eyes. He didn't know quite how to feel as he lay there in his father's arms. Ike held and rocked him really slowly as he sat there crying too.

For the next few days, it seemed Kenny was the only one who was calm enough to help keep the house running. Nelson was angry, as it was Monday morning, and he wasn't going to have a good Show-N-Tell project. He hid in his father's closet after Ike went to work. Kenny and Kyle were down in the kitchen eating. The phone rang.

"Hello?" Kenny said into the phone. "No, he's not. Why?" he asked. "Oh, really?" he asked looking over at Kyle. "I'll go see what's happening. I saw him go, though. So let me just make sure everything's okay."

"What's up?" Kyle asked as Kenny hung up the phone.

"Nelson isn't at school today." Kyle said as he got up. He grabbed a doughnut and left to go upstairs. He walked into Ike's bedroom, and started yelling for Kenny. "Kenny! I'm going to leave Ike a doughnut on his dresser!" he shouted. "If we all eat the box, he'll at least have some. It's the one with the heart shaped sprinkles." He said as he set the treat down on the table. He ducked into the shadows, and watched for five minutes, to see what would end up happening. Nelson crept out of the closet, and walked over to the dresser. Out of the shadows, came Kyle. He grabbed Nelson, and Nelson screamed from the shock.

"What are you doing here, young man?" Kyle asked as he grabbed the little boy in his arms.

"I'm hiding." Nelson said as he stared down at the floor.

"Hiding from what?" Kyle asked as Nelson trembled.

"From the classroom." He muttered. "I was supposed to do Show-N-Tell today, and if I go, they're all going to laugh." He muttered Sadly.

"Why do you think they're all going to laugh?" Kyle asked as he pulled Nelson into a hug.

"Because I don't know how to do my dance." Nelson said as he looked down at the floor. "I wish Grammy hadn't left me alone. She was my favorite Gramma." He muttered. "I was her little Bubby." He muttered sadly.

"So was I, kid." Kyle muttered as pain gripped at his heart.

"Uncle Kyle?" he asked as he looked his uncle in the eyes. "Is it okay to cry?"

"Yes, Nelson." Kyle said softly as he felt tears well up in his green eyes. "It is very okay to cry."

Nelson felt sad and nervous as Kenny and Kyle walked him into his classroom. Miss Nancy was in the middle of morning play time with the children. She spotted them all, and greeted them warmly.

"Children, five minutes for your Show-N-Tell." She called out smiling.

"I can't do this, guys." Nelson said softly as he tried to walk out.

"Nelson, honey, you'll be fine." Nancy said smiling. "Would you feel better if your friends stayed with you?" she asked as she motioned for Kenny and Kyle to sit.

"Class, as we all know, today is Nelson's turn to show us what he knows about his culture. So, let's all make him feel at home." She said smiling sweetly at her students. "Are you ready, Nelson?" She asked smiling.

Nelson took his uncle's IPod and started the song on a soft level. "This song is a song that my Gramma showed me. She was supposed to come here, but couldn't make it. She passed away." He said as he tried not to cry. "So, I'll go ahead and show you my dance."

He got through a minute and a half of it, before he stopped. "That's all I can remember." He muttered. "I don't remember the rest."

"But I do." Kyle said bravely as he walked up with Kenny, and all three of them started dancing. Nancy joined soon after, and then, it was only a matter of time before the whole class was dancing. Nelson smiled sadly at them. Maybe he could still keep his grandmother's memory alive after all. _I love you, gramma. _Nelson thought as he danced.


	6. Chapter 6

**Nowhere To Hide**

Butters was sitting on his bed drawing a sketch. It was a picture of Kenny. He smiled as he looked at the picture. He really liked to draw, and he had pictures of all his classmates. Kenny's was the last picture he was working on. He put it in his binder that he set for his sketches, and smiled. He had been working on that one for quite some time. He drew two pictures of the blond boy, one with Kenny hooded, and one without the hood. He looked around his room, and wondered what he should draw next. He didn't have any time to think about it, however. He heard a racket outside his window, and soon, there was a huge knock on the door. He wondered who could be making all this noise. He heard his mom talking down stairs, and there was a shattering sound as what sounded like horses were let into the house. Butters bedroom door burst open, and in came four very red faced sweaty boys. The fifteen year olds looked really scared.

"Butters!" Cartman said as he collapsed onto a chair. "Trent…, has…, been…, released." He gasped out of breath. "We thought we should let you know." With that, he fainted.

"Holy cheese!" Butters screamed as he stood up knocking his book to the ground. "I gotta hide! I gotta hide! Mom!" he shouted as he started trembling.

"We dodged him once." Stan muttered. "Maybe we can dodge him again."

"No!" Kyle said as he looked ready to cry. "We have got to stop dodging the truth!" he shouted. "We have got to tell the truth about what happened! Otherwise, if the cops and our parents don't catch us, Trent will! And he will not be very nice to us, Stan! He won't!" shouted Kyle as he clutched at his ushanka.

"Where am I gonna hide!" Butters moaned. "This is really bad you guys! I have to hide! My mom and dad will just give me up and give me to Trent right away! Do you guys know what he's capable of?" shouted Butters as he too started to sweat.

"We all have to stick together." Cartman said as he composed himself. "We all have to make sure and stick together, and he can't get us. We're bigger now, right? He can't take on us all!"

"Think about it!" Stan said as he paced the room. "Trent has been sitting in juvenile detention all this time, and do you know what he's been doing?" Stan asked softly. "He's been getting stronger, you guys! He's been working out, and he can take us now. I bet, he can take us."

"Please, guys!" Kyle said as tears filled his eyes. "Let's confess. Let's just tell everyone what happened that night, and let's come clean." He said as he started to hyperventilate.

"I know!" Butters said gasping as he had an idea. "Eric, you've killed people before! Maybe you can get rid of Trent, too!" he shouted as he picked up his sketch book.

"Are you insane?!" Kyle shouted. "Cartman, you can not commit a murder!" he shouted. "You'll be in jail for the rest of your life!" he yelled as he backed away from Cartman.

"Naw." Cartman said as he smiled. "The cops can't touch me. I am the dog!" he said smiling.

"Oh yeah? Then how come when you heard he was released you came to my house nearly shittin' yourself?" Kenny asked speaking for the first time.

"Kenny, we are not going to bother Butters with our fighting." Cartman said bitterly. "Let's settle this in a polite way. Come on, McCormick, outside." He muttered as he made fists.

"No." Kyle and Stan said as Kenny stood up. "We need to figure out what the hell we're going to do about Trent!" kyle moaned. "I say we tell the truth." He muttered as he sat down on Butters's bed. "Let's just tell the truth, and everything will be okay."

"You what!?" Mayor McDaniel's said as she and Cartman stood in her office alone. "How could you Eric Cartman?" she asked looking aghast. "I swear you four boys are the reason my hair is grey!" she shouted as she wiped sweat from her face. "Oh dear. Johnson!" she shouted pushing a button for her assistant. "I need you to call the most competent judge you know, and make sure he or she isn't related to any of these four." She said sighing. "We need to figure out a reasonable punishment for these four boys."

"But I am trying to alert you of a bigger problem!" Cartman shouted as he pulled at his brown hair. "Mayor, Trent Boyette is a dangerous person. He is a mental case!" he shouted as he trembled.

"You're…, a mental case, Eric." The mayor said as she sat back down in her desk.

"I understand, mayor. But listen to me. This boy is a mad man. I promise you, he is going to kill us all in our sleep if you don't get protection from him for us! We will not wake up tomorrow." He said as he stared at her pleadingly.

"He has just gotten out of juvenile hall." The mayor said as her watch went off. "Oh great. It's three fifteen. The protesters should start any minute." She muttered. "Where's the red head, the Goth, and Kenny?" she asked as she looked at her watch. "I want you to bring them to my office, Eric. We will figure this out." She said as she ushered him out of her office.

The boys ended up going to the television station and making a PSA about what had happened. They were each given a sentence of community service, and it was actually not that bad. Butters was the lucky one, because he hadn't done anything, thank the lord. Their parents all went pretty easy on them, but that was only because the judge had given them all harsh sentences anyway. So the parents saw no reason to ground them.

Cartman was walking alone in the dump the third week of his sentence, and he felt a hand on his shoulder. He screamed and turned around. He almost puked. He looked into his captor's eyes, and gasped. His breath caught in his throat and he looked at Trent pleadingly. "We went and confessed!" he shouted. "We told them it was us, and we all got in trouble." He said as he nearly started to cry.

"You are so fucking lucky." Said Trent in a low tone. "You are so fucking lucky I don't want to go back. Otherwise, I would kill you, Cartman." He said as he grabbed Eric by the hair.

"We told the truth, Trent!" shouted Eric as Trent grabbed him by the neck and hauled him off.

"You stupid idiot!" Trent shouted as he threw Cartman onto the pavement. Cartman screamed as his body made contact with the ground, and he landed on his back. He got the wind knocked out of him for a whole fifty seconds. He couldn't breathe.

"You think telling the truth is going to bring me back all those years that I was locked up." Trent said looking at Cartman bitterly. "I am going to make your lives hell." He said as he dragged Cartman through the sidewalk. "I am going to drive you all insane." He said as he let go of him. He grabbed Cartman and bashed his head into the side of a dumpster, and threw him in. "Good night, Sweetums." He said hauntingly as he left.

The next day, It was Stan's turn. He had a run in with the convict, but he didn't have to be afraid. He was really fast, as he played football, so he didn't have to worry. He had heard about what happened to Cartman, and how a couple of guys had found him in a dumpster. They had been part of the crew of sixth graders when they were all little. Now they were seniors, and if you wanted to think so, you could say they were mature. But Stan just didn't know. He still didn't like them.

"You win this time, you faggy little Goth" Trent said as he backed away bitterly. "But I'll get you."

He would've set out to hurt the other three boys, Kenny, Kyle and Butters. Instead, he had a different plan. His plan was in the form of Wendy Testaburger. He spotted her at her locker the first day of school. He looked at her, and smiled. She looked amazing. If the four faggots hadn't taken his child hood away, he might even be with her right now. He looked at her, and she turned around to find Bebe. But instead she found him.

"Hello Trent." She said smiling. "How's it going? I heard you just got back." She said smiling. "You a sophomore?" she asked.

"Yes. Yes, I am." He said smiling at her. "I hope we have some of the same classes." He said with a gentle pat on her hand.

She smiled. "Me too. I've heard a lot about you." She said smiling. The five minute bell rang

"Where's your first class?" Trent asked smiling. "I'll walk you there, and carry your books for you."

He loved to stare at her. She looked like something out of a magazine. She was really good looking, with beautiful eyes, and a sweet voice. Trent set her books down on a desk as a lot of girls oooed. He smiled as he left.

Bebe turned to Wendy ready for the details of the event that had just taken place. She smiled at her friend, but Wendy didn't smile back. She looked out of it, and Bebe knew that look.

"Tell me what happened?" Bebe asked in a breathy voice.

"I don't know." Wendy said as her smile brightened. "I really don't know why I'm attracted to all kinds of bad things. I had a crush on Cartman, I had a crush on Stan, and Token." She said sighing. "But I feel something different. Something different for Trent. Like…, special." She said softly. "I want to get to know who he is." She muttered.

"Wendy, I would be careful if I were you." Stan said from behind her "He beat the shit out of Cartman a while ago. He is no good." Stan advised.

"Stan, the only reason you think he's no good, is because you got ditched by Wendy." Bebe said bitterly. "She was way out of your league to begin with, and I really think you should stop being bitter about it."

"You should stop going after Kenny, then, Bebe." Stan said as his face went red. "Because he is certainly way out of your league." He said as he picked up his books. "Wendy, I want you to know, I am not bitter. And I hope you don't come to me for help when he's hurting your ass. Because I won't give it to you." He said as he left.

"Rude, Stanley Marsh!" Wendy shouted as she glared at him with tears in her eyes.

She didn't care what everyone else said. She wanted to get to know why everyone was so afraid of Trent. Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny had confessed to their wrong doing. So, Trent couldn't be that bad…, could he? The reason he had to be so mad was because of the stuff going on with the four boys. If they put blame on her for something she didn't do, and it took a chunk of her life out, Wendy wouldn't like them either. She wouldn't seek vengeance on them, but she wouldn't like it.

"I'm going out!" she shouted as she left her home that Saturday after the first week of school. "I'll be back soon!"

"Where are you going, young lady?" her dad asked letting the game pause for a moment as he came to talk with her.

"I'm going out on a group date." She said smiling. "Annie and Clyde, Bebe and Jimmy, and Trent and I are all going to the movies." She said smiling.

"Since when did you get a new boyfriend?" he asked furious. He was about to call his wife in on this.

"No dad. I don't have one. This is just a group outing." She said softly. "None of us are actually dating. We just want to do something since we survived our first day of school." She said smiling. "I'll be back at ten."

"Do we save you dinner?" asked her mom from the kitchen.

"No. I'll eat something over there." She said as she turned to leave. "See you guys later!"

Kyle and Kenny and Stan were sitting around the bed in Butters's room. As he looked at Butters, Stan remembered what he had seen in class the other day.

"So have any of you guys heard what's going on with—"

"—Trent Boyette and Wendy?" Butters asked shivering.

"Yeah." Kyle said as Goosebumps appeared in his arms. "Everyone's seen. They're always together."

"That bitch is going to get hurt." Cartman muttered as he glared at the window. "She's messing with the wrong bad ass. If she wanted a bad boy, I could've been it."

"Stan?" Kenny asked as his stomach hurt. "You're not bitter about the whole thing, are you?" he asked curious.

"No!" Kyle Butters and Stan said. "As far as I know, I'm a hell of a guy. If Wendy got bored with me, then that's her problem." Stan said grinning. "I have no reason to be bitter."

"That's good." Kenny said relieved. He had lead Stan through some of the worst times in his life. He really liked Stan, and didn't want to see him mad. "As for Wendy," Kenny finished bitterly. "She's going to get hers later on. Trent is not a nice guy."

At the movies, Trent made sure to get Wendy some food, he pulled out her seat when they were ready to sit down, He put her chair down for her in the theatre, and he was a very kind person. Wendy didn't think there was anything wrong with him at all. Bebe and Annie seemed to be having a blast with their friends too. She really wanted to get to know Trent.

Over the next three weeks, everyone got to be treated to a dose of Wendy and Trent walking around like they really wanted to be a couple, but not knowing how to go on about it. Wendy really was starting to like this guy. She sighed as she thought about him in math. He met her right outside her class, to walk her to lunch that day.

Trent was a really kind soul. He liked to play video games, he knew his chemistry very well, and he really seemed to know Wendy a lot. He showed up in her first period once with a bowl of cereal for her to eat. It was her favorite. She smiled at his kindness, and didn't think anything of it. He showed up in gym and found her. He gave her a nice looking water bottle to carry with her, that matched her clothes perfectly. He was a very nice boy.

Two months after they had started school, Trent asked the question that was on Wendy, and Bebe's mind. "Will yuh go out with me?" he asked not knowing what to ask next.

"Yes." Wendy said as her heart raced. "I would love to."

"You're going to get hurt, Wendy." A voice spoke in her head sounding like Stan.

"Don't be bitter." She said out loud.

"Bitter about what?" Trent asked confused.

"I wasn't saying anything." Wendy said sadly. "Sometimes I talk to myself."

The news spread quickly to all the teens in school. Wendy Testaburger was now the first chick on Trent Boyette's arm since he got out of jail. A lot of girls ran from the news, saying she was going to get hurt. A lot of people whispered behind her back, and some boys even came to confront Stan about why he wasn't doing anything to stop her. Stan was only too happy to let them know where he stood on the issue.

"I have already talked to her." he said feeling like he was at a press conference. "I have already told her that Trent Boyette is bad news. I have expressed my feelings about him to her, and now I have to let her do her own life." He said smiling.

"Stan, don't you worry something's gonna happen to her?" asked a girl in pink.

"No. She's a big girl, and she can take care of herself." he said softly. "I have to go. My date is waiting for me at the court." He said as he backed away.

Stan and Kenny were probably the only couple who were hidden. They were secretly going out, but there was no emotion about it, since no one really new. He smiled as he told Kenny what was going on.

"Gross." Kenny said as he shot a basket. "Wendy is going to get hurt."

"Who cares about that bitch." Cartman said as he took the ball from Kenny and dribbled up the court. "As long as Trent isn't hurting us anymore, everything is fine. If she gets hurt, Maybe Trent will go back to jail." He said bitterly.

"Doesn't it bother you, Stan, that she's dating him?" Kyle asked. "Not because you used to be her boyfriend. Put all that aside, right now, and just pretend you've never dated her."

"Well, if you put it that way," Stan said sadly. "I'm really bothered by it, and I'm afraid for Wendy's life. I don't know what Trent is capable of doing, and I don't like him very much. But think about it, Kyle. Maybe there is some good in the boy after all."

"How could you say that!?" Butters asked as he wrestled the ball out of Cartman. "This is the boy that nearly tried to kill us! We had sixth graders protecting us, and he beat the shit out of them, too!" Butters shouted.

"Butters, think about it." Stan said looking at his friends as the ball was shot through the hoop again. "He only went to jail because of our bullshit! If we had told the truth about the fire, Trent would've never gone to jail. We wouldn't have gone either, since our records were clean at the time. It was a very horrible accident, and we blamed Trent for it. Of course he's gonna be bitter at us about it. So, think about it. Maybe there is some good in him after all."

"Stan, you are seriously fucked up." Eric muttered as he spotted a figure coming their way. "Since you think so, maybe you can talk to him. He's coming this way."

Cartman, Kenny, Kyle, and Butters all ran off leaving Stan on the court. "Pussies!" he shouted as Trent came walking over to him.

"How you doin'?" he asked as he grabbed a ball from the ground.

"Fine." Stan said as he watched Trent warily. "You?" he asked.

"I'm good. Wanted to talk to yuh about your x." he said as he smiled at Stan.

"What about her?" Stan asked looking at Trent and trying to read his mind.

"Not much. I wanted to know what you knew about her. I want to do something special for her, and don't know where to start."

"Just do whatever comes to you. She's really not that picky." Stan said as he and Trent started playing ball. "Make her happy."

Trent and Stan talked a lot for a long time as they played. Stan was trying really hard to read the boy but getting nowhere. Trent was really hidden. He didn't want to let anyone in, and so Stan didn't know if Trent was really going to hurt Wendy or not. So, he left Trent alone after a while, and went to go find his friends.

"What did he want?" Kyle asked as Stan caught up to them at Butters's house.

"He just wanted to talk to me about Wendy. He was trying to do something nice for her, I guess. You guys should give him a chance. Maybe he knows we apologized and told the mayor the truth. Maybe he isn't all bad after all."

"Yeah." Cartman muttered bitterly. "And maybe it's a rumor that I'm a psychopath. Maybe I do go date a lot of girls, and have a beautiful body. Maybe I don't hate Jews."

For the next three years, everyone was happy. They all graduated, and moved on to getting jobs. Trent and Wendy seemed to be a really happy couple. Cartman and the rest of the boys learned to forgive the felon, and tried to work alongside him. No one seemed to be in any sort of danger from working with Trent. So, Stan must be right. But just when you think things are awesome, they fall to hell.

"We're done!" Wendy shouted as she walked away from the young man. "I don't ever want to see you near my house again. Do you understand, Trent Boyette?" she shouted as she walked off in a bitter huff.

The sweetest couple had broken up. Good girl was not dating bad boy anymore, and there was gossip in the gossip mines. Everyone was dying to know what had happened to make the couple break up. They all said Wendy was the ticket to Trent Boyette's kindness. Without her, he could go back to the cold hearted man that he was. But no one got anywhere with her. She claimed that they weren't working out, and Trent had to go. Stan was working at Tweek's coffee shop one day, two days after the break up, and she came in on his shift. He wasn't too busy, so she walked up to the counter and smiled at him.

"Hi Wendy." He said grinning at her. "What would you like today?" he asked. "The usual?"

"No." she said frustrated. "I need to talk to you! I'm in trouble, and I need someone to talk to."

"Where's Bebe?" he asked as he took off his gloves and threw them in the garbage. "I'm going on a break, Craig.!" He shouted as he walked through the back door and into the main area of the shop.

"She's working at the drug store, and couldn't care less about me right now. Her and Bryden are doing well, I don't know if you knew."

"I don't really keep up with you girls." Stan said sighing. He led Wendy outside to a more private place. "What's going on. You look like you've been crying."

"I broke up with Trent." She said softly.

"I'm sorry to hear that." He said as he and her sat down on a bench.

"I'm not." Wendy said as she launched into a story about how miserable she was at his hands.

"What made you finally leave?" Stan asked. He didn't expect the next answer.

"He came home to me a month ago and tried to mend the fight we were in. I believe I would've come back to him, had he been calm enough to just talk it out. But he tried to rape me, Stan." She muttered. "He was so nice, and everything. But as the days went on, he became more and more obsessed with me. Always wanted to know where I was, who I was with, and always wanting to spend all his time with me. I believe he was nice at the beginning, but then something changed in him, Stan. Something really bad must've happened to him." She muttered.

"So what are you telling me all this for?" he asked concerned. "Shouldn't you go to the police with half of all of this?" he asked.

"I haven't told you the rest of it. He's stalking me, Stan, and I'm really afraid for my life." She muttered. "I have gone to great lengths to try and stop it from happening, but It doesn't seem to work." She muttered. "I have told the police, yes, and they can't get him on any charges, because he isn't doing anything wrong. He's not breaking the law by being in the same vicinity as me." she muttered. "I don't know what to do." She said as her heart beat fast. "Stan, what would you do?"

"I would run for my fucking life, Wendy, that's what I would do. With each incident, keep going to the police about it, and keep on bugging them until they find some way to get him. Maybe he'll slip up and do something wrong the next time. I don't know. Just make sure you don't travel alone." He muttered. "He could kill you."

"That's what I've been trying to tell the police. But they don't listen to me." she muttered. "I tried to get a restriction against him, but that didn't work either. They want solid evidence that what I'm saying is true." She muttered. "I don't have that evidence."

"Just try and keep going to the police, no matter what happens. Even if he says hi to you on a busy street, or you see him passing your house. Just keep going to the police, and talking to them." He muttered. "Don't give up, Wendy. Keep yourself safe."

"Thank you, Stan. I really needed to hear that." She muttered. "I really miss being able to just relax, you know?"

They both got up at the same time, and walked back into the coffee shop. Trent was sitting alone at a table. He was on his laptop, and Wendy and Stan were quick to notice him there.

"Have you gotten a drink, yet?" Stan asked approaching Trent.

"No. I don't want any." Trent said curtly.

"Well, policy says that if you don't buy anything, you can't use the wifi in here." Stan said biting his lip.

"I don't need it anymore anyway." Trent said as Wendy left the shop. He packed up quickly, and was gone within a minute. Stan shivered as he watched him go.

For a week, everything was fine. It wasn't until the next Tuesday, that everything fell to pieces for the poor girl. She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and took it out. She flipped through her icons until she found her mail. She sighed and started checking her mail. She found a list of emails all from Trent, and no subject line. She opened the first one, and it read:

Wendy I know you're at the lake. (Wendy froze.) You can't run from me. I'm everywhere you are.

She looked around but couldn't see anything. She flipped through the rest of his emails all depicting that he was in the same area as she was. All of those times, and she couldn't see where he was. Her phone buzzed again, and this time it was a text message.

Wendy, I see you. You look scared.

"Hey, girlie." Said a voice making her scream as she jumped a mile in the air.

"What are you doing here?" she asked as she stood to face Trent. "I told you, we are done."

"I can't help it if I wanted to come to the lake. I've been here for the whole day. It's a free country, you know?" he said smiling. "How about I sit here with you?" he asked.

"Leave me alone, Trent! You are going to get yourself thrown in jail if you don't be careful." And with that, she was running off to wherever she could go that he wasn't. But it was no use. Wherever she went, she got some email about how he knew where she was.

Bebe had a sleep over that weekend, and invited Wendy. Wendy was all excited, and decided to go. After all, no one could get to her there, and Trent wouldn't know where she was. She had such a good feeling about this. She was going to have a blast.

Monday morning, she opened her emails at her house. There was only one email from Trent.

I hope you had fun, Wendy. I really do. Because that was the only little piece of fun you'll get. It's time to come back to me, once and for all. I won't rest until you're my girl again.

There was an attachment. She opened the zip folder, and screamed. Her mom and dad came walking into the room as she sat there, looking at what he had sent.

"Who took all those pictures?" her father asked as he stood behind her looking at the screen.

There were pictures of Wendy and the girls at Bebe's sleep over. Pictures of them undressing, of them playing games, of the general area where they were, of all kinds of things to indicate that he had been among them that night. She didn't know how to feel.

"Honey we have got to go to the cops with this." Her dad said as he saw her face.

"And what did the cops say?" asked Stan as he and Wendy walked around the pond.

"They've gone to is house, but can't find him. He's really good at hiding." She muttered. "I feel so invaded." She muttered. "I didn't think he'd be so mean to me, Stan. Imagine how violated those girls are going to feel when I tell them what happened?" she moaned.

"I'm really sorry, Wendy. This must be a horrible nightmare for you." He muttered sadly. "I wish they would just lock him up and make it all go away for you, kiddo." He muttered as he saw her face.

For the first time in ages, Stanley really saw her face. She looked tired, and had blood shot eyes. She looked like she hadn't slept in days. He wanted to be the one to take away all her troubles, but he knew he couldn't. He didn't know what to do as she told him what had happened.

"I think if you just stick to not being by yourself for a while, everything will be okay." Stan said softly. "I am really sure of it."

But everything wasn't okay. When she returned to her home that night, she started to notice that some of her stuff was missing. There was a set of sheets missing from her bed, one of her pillows was gone, and more. Some of her pieces of clothing were gone, and she didn't know what to do. She sighed. Had he really been in her room taking her stuff? She went back to the police and reported what had happened. She didn't know if she could handle it anymore.

When she went back to her house that night, She was about to lay down to sleep. But something was off that night. She sighed. She felt odd about her surroundings. Almost as if she was going to be in danger soon. She sighed as she looked under dressers, in the closet, in her drawers, and on top of her dresser. She moved a teddy aside and screamed. There was a camera on the dresser that was blinking. She yelled as she ran from the room. She ran down stairs, and called the police before her mom and dad had any idea what was happening.

They were there in minutes trying to look for more cameras or suspicious devices. Her computer contained spy wear. She felt like she had been violated in the biggest way. She didn't know quite how to feel about this.

"I don't get it!" she shouted as she tried not to pull her hair out. "He was one of the sweetest boys! I used to be in love with this guy!" she shouted as the cops left her drive way.

Kenny walked into the house and went up to his room. He had noticed Stan and Wendy spending a lot of time together. He wondered if Stan was going to fall in love with her again. Would Stan give Kenny up? Would he really let everything they had get destroyed? He was about to jump in the shower, when the door to his room opened. He saw Stan standing there, looking at him. "Ken." He said as he entered. He walked over to Kenny, and hugged him. Kenny felt the love there, and smiled as Stan put his face in Kenny's hair. Stan would never give their love up. He just wouldn't.

Two days later, Kenny and Stan were laying on the couch watching a movie. The door to Kenny's house was pulled open, and in came a grinning Cartman. He was smiling, and jumping up and down.

"They put Trent in jail!" he chanted. "We're off the hook!" he yelled. "We can breathe again."

"Whoa!" Kenny muttered. "For how long?" he asked looking surprised.

"For the next fifteen years!" he shouted. "Yes! Yes!"

Everything was back to normal. Everything would be okay. Wendy could sleep again. She could sleep, and be happy. No one would ever stalk her again. She was going to be okay. She had survived.

The following events took place fifteen years afterword's. Between June second, and June third. No one knows how the South Park police failed to protect such a beautiful person.

The phone rang, and the person sitting at their chair looked around. She got up, and picked up the phone. She put it to her ear sleepily. "Hello?" she asked yawning.

"Mrs. Testaburger, do you have a minute?" asked a boy's voice.

"This isn't Trent, is it?" she asked bitterly. "I don't recognize this number."

"No, ma'am. This is Kenny. Wendy works with us at the mini mart, and she didn't show up. Is she sick?" he asked concerned.

"No." said the lady worried. "I saw my girl leave for work just forty-five minutes ago. I saw her. She was looking well rested, actually."

"That's strange. Because she didn't show up." Kenny said softly. "I'll check her friends' houses. Maybe she went there for a while, and she's just late." He muttered.

There was a knock at the door, and Mrs. Testaburger stood up. "Please call me and let me know." She said sadly. "I have a visitor at my door."

She hung up the phone and walked over to her door. She opened it, and there stood a crying Butters, holding his phone in his hands. He was sobbing so violently, and he didn't know what to do.

"Aren't you the stotch kid?" she asked worried. "What's wrong, son?" she asked. "Wendy isn't here right now. She went to work."

"N-no!" Butters sobbed as he took his phone and handed it to the lady. She flipped through the album he was at, and her heart dropped. There was a picture of her daughter's car tipped over on its side. There was a picture of her daughter's car being set on fire. There was a picture of a running figure, that she knew only too well. She stared at the Stotch kid, and gasped. Her Wendy. No. This couldn't be true.

"No!" she screamed as loud as she could. "No!"

She and Butters took off running. The door slammed behind her as she ran. He led her right to the car. He was bawling as the fire fighters and police surrounded the place. She cried as she held Butters tight. She had just lost her daughter. She had lost her only little girl.

All around South Park, people one by one were getting the news. Kenny had received a text from Butters, and was reading it through. He gasped as his jaw dropped open.

She has died. Trent finally got her. I guess she forgot Trent was being released today. She's dead, Ken.

At the bottom of the text there was an address. Kenny forwarded the text to Stan, and he left the shop to go to the location.

The place was full of people trying to get a look at the scene and make sure it was really Wendy. The car said it all. She had the mauve car. No one else had that color car. Kenny and Stan saw each other through the crowd, and walked over to each other.

"I feel like everything is going in slow motion." Stan muttered. "It's a feeling making me wanna throw up." He said as he leaned on his boyfriend.

They held a funeral for her the following day. It was a closed casket. She was horribly disfigured from the fire, and no one wanted her to be seen in that way. Everyone showed up. Everyone. They all wanted to pay their respects to a girl they really loved. Trent was found two days later, and given a life sentence. In his possession, they found a full journal on how he was going to kill her. They found enough evidence to convict him, and make their sentence.

The laws for South Park Colorado were changed thanks to Wendy. No one knew why she hadn't gotten notified of Trent's release. A letter came a week later after the death to inform Wendy that Trent had been transferred. Of course, that was a lie. Now, instead of sending a letter, officers were required to call. If they didn't talk to a live person, they were required to go to their work, their home, or any place they were until they were found and made sure of their safety. Hopefully this wouldn't happen again.


	7. Chapter 7

Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

Stan was sitting on his favorite bench on a cloudy Wednesday afternoon. He had release after lunch on B days, so he was able to just sit and do nothing for the rest of the day. He wondered what he was going to do. None of his other friends had release, so he was going to be alone. It was the second day of the semester, but it seemed to be going okay. His classes weren't that bad, and he wasn't getting picked on either. Even though he was a Freshman at Park High. He looked around to see a girl coming toward him. She sat down beside him and sighed. She took off her backpack and started to pull out the contents of it, until she found what she was looking for. She pulled out her phone and put the rest of her stuff back. She started messing around on it, then started to look intently at Stan. She smiled.

"You knew here?" she asked with sparkling teeth.

"Stanley Marsh." He muttered. "I'm from South Park."

"Oooooo." She said smiling. "A Freshman." She said grinning with her glittering teeth. "I hope you like it here."

"Where are you from?" he asked. She had a strong accent that reminded Stan of someone who might be from the SSR.

"I'm from Russia." She said confirming his guess. "I live in Middle Park." She said smiling.

"Nice to meet you." He said as he felt his phone vibrate. He looked at his phone and saw it was a text from Kenny. _Can you please go to our locker and get me a pencil? The test starts in ten minutes, but I can't leave because it's so full of seats that I barely got one. Thanks Stan. I O U._

"I have to run." He said sighing.

"Running an errand for a friend?" she asked. Her head was buried in her own phone.

"You guessed it." He muttered as he walked off.

He went to his locker, and grabbed a pencil from the box on the top shelf. He made sure it had lead, and a good eraser. He ran to where he knew Kenny was, and spotted him right at the front of the class as soon as he entered. He handed Kenny his pencil, and Kenny smiled at him politely.

"Thanks, man. You are awesome. I owe you." Kenny said grinning.

"Class, I am handing out the tests." Said the instructor as she started doing so.

"I'll see you guys later." Stan said as he left.

Tweek walked along the sidewalk looking for something to do. He didn't know what he would do, now that he had release from school. He didn't have a clue. He noticed a girl sitting at a bench nearby. He looked at her, and she at him. She seemed to know who he was. Or was it just his imagination? He sighed as he looked at his mysterious stranger. He looked at her, and she at him. He approached. Craig said he had to talk to more people than just him. So he was going to give it a try.

"Hello?" he asked.

"Hello?" she replied back standing up to shake his hand. "You must be a South Parkian." She said showing her sparkling teeth. "Sit with me." she said simply. "I am Deidra." she said smiling. "You are?" she asked softly.

"I am Tweek." He said softly.

"Really?" she asked smiling. "Nice to meet you." She said happily.

He looked at the neatly shaped piece of paper in her hand. She seemed to be working on Origami. He smiled. "Do you like art?" he asked.

"Yes." She said gently. "I really love art. I especially love Origami. A common Japanese style of paper folding, to make intricate shapes."

"I know what it is." Tweek said softly. "I just don't ever mess around with that kind of stuff. It's too gay. And what if I mess it up?" he questioned. "Too much pressure. Or worse! What if all the guys found out I do that? They would think I'm gay and make so much fun of me!" he screamed as he started trembling.

"If you mess it up, you can just start over." She said smiling.

"Oh." Tweek gasped. She was going to be just like Craig. For every what if question, Craig had something to counter it. That always made Tweek calm. He was going to like this girl. "And if they make fun of you, you do something so amazing, they'll have no choice but to really like it. It happened to me when I made clothes for a sculpture out of newspaper." She said smiling. "Never got picked on once after that."

"What is this for?" he asked as he pointed to what was in her hand.

"It's a fortune teller." She said as she showed him the strangely shaped device. "Would you like to know your fortune?" she asked smiling.

"Yeah." Tweek said as he watched fascinated.

"Ask it a question, and pick a number, color, and negative number contrary to the one you chose."

This fortune telling device was as big as Tweek's Head. It had numbers all around it, from one to ninety-nine, and a minus sign for negative numbers. It also had a lot of colors around it too. So Tweek went ahead with his task.

"Will I get an a on the first exam of biology?" he asked as he looked at her. "Twelve, blue, and negative twelve." He said as she set to work messing with her paper.

She flipped open the paper fortune teller, and read aloud. "Your mind is immense. You will do wisely. Don't be late." She said as she closed the fortune teller again to its original shape.

"Wow." He muttered. He spotted another binder in her lap. It was open to a sheet of paper in which she had drawn what looked like crickets into tiny squares on the paper

"What?" she asked smiling. "Those are my crickets. Want to see?" she asked as she took a pair of scissors and started cutting out a square. She folded it so quickly Tweek didn't know what hit him as she presented him with a cricket in his palm. She smiled at his amazement.

"If you push on its butt, it hops." She said as he proceeded to do so.

"Neat." He said as he grabbed a cricket that hopped out of his hand. He handed it back to her.

"Keep it." She said smiling. "I have trillions."

"Oh, I'm going to be late!" he said as he looked at the time. "I better run."

"Have fun in your biology test." She said as she watched him leave.

"Craig!" Tweek shouted as he ran to the stoic boy after school. "There's a witch in our school! She wants to get me, man! She wants to get me!"

"Why do you say that?" Craig asked calmly as Tweek trembled beside him. He stuffed his books back into his locker.

"Because she does!" he said as he tried not to lose his breath. "Get a load of this…."

Craig listened intently, nodding at the appropriate times. He knew exactly what was going on, but could he explain it so Tweek understood?

"You already know you do good in biology." Craig said as he steered Tweek out of the school, towards his car. "Of course you were going to do well. It's a given." He said as he and Tweek got in. "She never told you any bad predictions, so why are you flipping out?" he asked as he put his seat belt on.

"I don't know." Tweek muttered. "It's just a feeling I have."

Over the next few days, the strange Russian girl stole the court yard by showing everyone what she could do with a simple piece of paper. She also told everyone's fortunes, thinking she was making a lot of friends. But of course, the South Park boys were the only ones whose predictions came true.

"Will I find my lost back pack?" Kenny asked the next week. "Thirteen, green, and negative thirteen." He said as she handled her paper.

"You must try and find what you seek, in your happy place." She said smiling.

Kenny was digging through his locker frustrated. Kyle had it all organized, so he couldn't have left his bag in his locker. It has been missing for two days. That fortune was a load of shit. He sighed as he left for his art class. He was going to be late, and he didn't want anyone to take his seat. He rather enjoyed sitting next to Butters in advanced art. That was the only advanced class he had. It's not like he would be something big in the future anyway.

"Kenny, dear, you left your bag here last A day." Miss Bronsen said as he entered. "Here you go, dear."

"Oh my gosh. Thank you!" he said smiling. "I needed this! I really appreciate it. Thanks." He said as he took it and gave her hand a squeeze "Thanks, teach." He said smiling.

"Kenny!" Butters hissed as Kenny sat down beside him. "I have something to tell you!" he said as he trembled with excitement.

"What?" Kenny asked smiling.

"I went to get my fortune told yesterday. I asked Deidra if I would get grounded when I got home? She said "You have an empty shell." I went home, and my mom and dad weren't there! They came home when I already went to sleep." He said smiling. "I didn't get grounded! Just like Deidra said!"

"That's nothing. I just found my bag. Just like my fortune said." Kenny muttered laughing. "I really am beginning to think Tweek might be on to something for once." He said as he got his sketch pad out.

"Will I have a good day tomorrow?" asked Stan as he sat with Deidra before heading home. "Six, purple, and negative six." He said as he watched her handle it.

"Be weary." She said sadly. "Bad Karma is coming your way."

"I don't think you should take that seriously." She muttered. "I don't know what's wrong with this thing. I don't remember putting any bad things in here, and people've been getting bad things all day. It scared the Tweek kid really bad, too." She said sighing. "I think I'm going to have to go and take it apart and see what the hell is going on." she muttered.

But it was impossible. Everyone started coming in waves to her, and she had no chance. Meanwhile, people just kept getting bad fortunes with every question they asked. It was really lame.

"It said I was going to get hit by a car and die!" Tweek shouted as he started to shiver.

"You are not going to get hit by a car and die." Craig said stoically. "You'll be fine. Just fine." He said as he and Tweek got ready to leave for school the next day.

"But I asked it if I was going to get hit by a car yesterday, and it said yes." He moaned.

"What exactly did it say?" Craig asked as he slid his bag over his shoulder and walked off with Tweek.

"I asked it if I was going to get hit by a car, and it said, fear is reasonable, for it shall come to pass. What do you think that means?" he asked as he nearly slid on the pavement.

"It's just simply playing on your fears, Tweek." Craig said as he walked across the street with Tweek.

Tweek was too busy looking at Craig to see the car sticking out of the driveway. He bumped into it, and gasped.

"See? Craig said as he brushed dirt off Tweek's shirt. "For all you know, that could've been it. You bumped into a car. It hit you. So just relax now." Craig muttered as he and Tweek kept walking.

"But what if I relax, and it makes it so I get hit really hard?" Tweek asked as he started to hyperventilate

"Oh, Tweek." Craig said as he steered the boy away from yet another obstacle. "You won't get hit by any more cars." He said softly. "I am sure of that. If you do, and survive, you can have all my comic books." he said as he and Tweek rounded a corner.

Meanwhile, Stan had overslept, and was waking up to Shelly pounding on his door. He opened his eyes, and moaned. His alarm hadn't gone off, because his phone had died. Fucking crap, he was in trouble.

He tried to find clothes to wear. His favorite lucky shirt was lying in a pile of clothes. But it was not a favorite red lucky shirt anymore. It was pink. He nearly started to cry as he grabbed a different shirt and slid into a clean pair of jeans.

"Someone must've washed your shirt with a clothing item that leeched paint onto everything." Shelly said sighing. "Don't worry about it, if you leave your stupid shirt here, I'll take care of it. Get going, or you'll be late."

"I need to try and get something for breakfast." He muttered as he grabbed a milk jug. He tried to get himself a glass of milk to drink with his pop tart, and the milk over flowed and drenched his shirt. "Aaaaww…, Aaaaww…, aaaaww!" he shouted as he felt the cold hit him hard.

"Stanley, what is wrong with you, you turd?" Shelly asked as she grabbed a rag. She took a milk carton out of the fridge, and put it next to his pop tart. "Go change into a different shirt, and forget catching the bus. I'll give your turdy ass a ride to school." She muttered as she watched him go back upstairs.

"These are useless now." His mother was saying to Randy as she came out of their room with a bunch of clothes in her arms. "Stan?" You okay?" she asked concerned.

"My day from hell is starting." He muttered as he passed her into his room. "Some stupid girl told my fortune, and now it's coming true." He muttered as he pealed his shirt off and tossed it in the dirty clothes.

"Come on, son." Sharon said as she watched him intently. "You don't believe all that shit, do you?" she asked sighing. "It's all just a bunch of bull."

"Mom, look at the facts." Stan said as he slid his new shirt on after drying his skin. "My phone is dead, I over slept, I got my lucky shirt ruined, and worst of all, I'm late for school!" he shouted. "I have a chemistry test today, mom! A practical! That means there will be a lab!"

"You're still not late, Stan." Shelly said as Stan grabbed his bag and ran down stairs. "I'll drop you off by the Chemistry classroom. They have an exit that you can go in through. You'll be fine." she muttered as she and Stan left the house.

"Here's your breakfast." Shelly said as she handed him a pop tart with a milk carton. "Even you can't spill this one." She said as she turned the engine on and they started going.

Stan got there with a minute and thirty seconds to spare. He sighed as he slid into his seat next to Wendy.

"Stan, you look like hell." She muttered.

"Mr. Marsh!" said Mr. Elliot. "You know it is against the rules to enter through a fire exit. This door is only for fire and emergencies."

"Sorry sir. But I am really late, and your class is on the other side of the school. If I would've gone through the real entrance…,"

"I'll let it slide this time, son. But if you do it again, you're a dead Lion." He said bitterly.

"Oh, he's just kidding." Wendy said as the bell rang. "He wouldn't do that to his students."

All day, Stan kept being late to class, losing his stuff, and tripping over his own feet. He made a mess of himself at lunch, and he really hated it. By then, he just wanted to go home. But the day passed by quick enough, and he was only humiliated for a while longer. It was a very disheveled Stanley that came crashing through the front door after school.

"Just leave me alone, all of you. I have had enough of today!" he shouted as he ran upstairs.

Tweek and Craig were sitting in Tweek's room playing a game on his PS3. Tweek moaned as his character got hit by a car. He had lost his last life, and now he had died. He and Craig looked at each other and smiled. So that had been the prediction.

The next day in school, there was a meeting outside in the court yard. Deidra and Kenny were leading a very happy looking Eric Cartman to the head of the crowd, and Craig was bringing up the rear. Soon, Craig and Deidra whistled at the crowd and the spectators were quiet.

"It has come to my attention," Craig said uncharacteristically loud. "That you all have been coming to miss Deidra here, and getting bad fortunes. Let me assure you that the problem has been dealt with. This little dumbass decided to switch Deidra's fortune teller with a real nasty one full of crappy stuff." He explained.

"That doesn't explain why predictions are coming true!" Stan shouted bitterly. "I had the worst day yesterday, and the day before, it said I would have a terrible day."

"That's another thing I wanted to talk about." Craig said bitterly. "The predictions in the fortune teller are all just a game. A prediction is based off of nothing but guess work. But it also works placebically. If you get a really good prediction, it is more likely that you will strive to make it happen. Stanley, you only had a bad day because you forgot to charge your phone. Had you not done that, your day would've been just fine, it happens to all of us who depend on our phones for alarms. So, if you all want to, you are free to beat Cartman about the head, and neck, but don't beat yourselves up for a prediction that is coming true only because of pure coincidence, or because you influence it. You are all welcome to visit my good friend, here," he said as he pointed at the Russian girl. "She has got her old fortune teller back."

Three weeks went by and nothing out of the ordinary happened. Until Butters found a magic queue ball in his attic. The cycle started again, almost as if Craig had never given that speech.

"Shit on a stick." Craig muttered. "I never win."


	8. Chapter 8

**When You're Gone**

**I've always been told to pray for the people you love. Like somehow, if you pray for them they'll get good things in life or something. Because of the situation I was placed in, I don't know if I believe that bull. Even though, I have actually seen and talked to Jesus and Satan and even once God on one occasion. Well, God once, Jesus and Satan a bunch of times. Anyway, I still can't really say I'm Catholic. I don't pray before I go to sleep, if at all. But here I was, sitting in an empty church, praying. Maybe, if I told you what I was praying about.**

**My brother was starting to branch out. He actually did good during high school, and now that he was a senior, he was applying to colleges, and sending in paperwork for scholarships. My mom and I always wanted to see him do good in life. Dad was nothing special, and mom barely had a job to make ends meet. My sister and I were doing decently in school. I guess. Still. My mom said that I should pray for my brother. That way, he gets into the best place, and maybe we don't have to pay a dime. So here I was. I didn't know what to say to the big guy, so I sighed and sat there for a while. Finally, when people started filing in, I left. Thankfully no one saw me.**

"**Where've you been, squirt?" Kevin asked as I walked in.**

"**Out. You?" I asked as I threw myself into an old recliner.**

"**I've been cleaning." He said smiling. "I'm practicing."**

"**I can tell." I said softly. "Want any help with all that?" I asked smiling at him gently.**

"**Not really." He said smiling. "I'm almost done. You should've been here to help me with the fridge I needed help with earlier." He muttered. "Could've used you, then."**

"**Sorry, Kev." I said smiling. "Looks like I failed."**

"**Wanna split a pizza?" he asked.**

"**I'm not hungry." I said as I looked at the ground.**

**You know that moment when you're having a bonding moment with your older brother, and mom comes along and fucks it up? Well, I do.**

"**Kevin? This came for you in the mail." She said handing him a really big envelope. I could read upside down, and saw the word university printed on it. I got up and left.**

**There was yells and cheers fifty seconds later. Kevin had apparently gotten into Boulder. Big whoop. I could do better than that.**

**I walked past the couple celebrating, and left. "Kenny!" Kevin was yelling for me. "I got in! Kenny!"**

"**Sorry, can't chat!" I shouted. "Stan needs me."**

**I walked around the city for a long time. I wanted to drive all the way to Denver, but I don't have a fucking car. I hate that about me. It began to rain, and I cursed God for it. But oh well. I guess that's my Karma for not being with Kevin right now. He needed his family. Well, fuck him. There…, I said it. Fuck Kevin. Not like he ever did anything for me in the first place.**

"**Kenny?" asked a voice.**

**I turned around and saw a figure on the ground. He was sprawled on the wet grass picking up what looked like the contents of his binders. I gasped as I ran to him. "Butters!" I gasped. What happened to you?"**

"**Some boys beat the crap out of me." Butters muttered. "Oops, I mean snot." He said correcting himself.**

"**I don't care if you cuss." I said as I helped him gather himself. "Can I walk with you?" I asked.**

"**Why sure!" he said as I helped him get all his things together.**

**We walked in silence for a little bit. When we got to his house, his driveway was empty.**

"**Want me to leave?" I asked.**

"**No." he said softly. "Mom and dad aren't home." He said as he opened his door. "Come on in."**

"**Kenny?" he asked as I helped him with the first aid. "You seem a little sad today. Are you all right?"**

**I told Butters everything. I was crying silently by the time I was done. He took my hand in his soft one, and held it tight.**

"**I want to go away from this fucking world, Butters. I have nothing good in my life. The only good things I have are going to be taken away soon enough." I uttered.**

"**Have you told Kevin how you feel?" he asked softly.**

"**No." I muttered. "He'd laugh at me or some crazy shit."**

"**You told me." he said softly.**

"**You're Butters." I muttered softly. "You wouldn't laugh at anyone."**

"**Kenny, he's your brother." Butters muttered softly. "Of course he's going to love all the stuff you think." He said softly. "He loves you just as much as you love him."**

"**Yeah. I keep thinking maybe I'm turning into a girl. I'm crying all over the place, I can't sleep very good, I'm turning into a basket case." I muttered.**

"**Kenny, tell Kevin what you just told me. It'll make a world of difference, and open up something good in your relationship with him. You'll see." He said as he and I put the first aid kit away.**

"**Where have you been?" Karen asked as I walked in an hour later.**

"**Walking around." I muttered. "You?"**

"**Waiting for you, so you can go with me to help me sell candy bars." She said softly.**

"**Karen, I can't do that right now." I said sadly.**

"**You what?" I heard Kevin shout at the top of his lungs. "That was seventy dollars' worth of merchandise!" he shouted as he ran around in the kitchen. "What do you mean, you had the munchies? No one eats through seventy bucks worth of chocolate!"**

"**Oh no." Karen and I both shouted as we leaped through the living room and went into the kitchen.**

"**I feel pretty good." Dad was saying as he patted his belly.**

"**You didn't!" Karen shrieked as she looked all around her. "Where am I gonna get the money to pay for all that?" she moaned.**

"**I've got it covered, Karen." Kevin said bitterly. "The problem isn't the money. It's the fact that this lard ass ate it all."**

"**Dad, are you feeling okay?" I asked smiling at him.**

"**Yep." He said as he relaxed in his chair.**

"**How in the hell does someone eat through all that chocolate?" I asked confused.**

"**Well, now you guys don't have to go with me no more." Karen said laughing. "I'm sorry you have to pay for it all, Kevin." She said softly.**

"**Sorry, Karen." Dad mumbled as he got up. "I'm gonna watch the game." He said as he left.**

"**I'm so fuckin' shocked at him." Kevin muttered. "Where are you off to?" he asked as he watched me walking away.**

"**I don't know. Gonna start heading to bed, I guess." I said as I walked off.**

"**Want dinner?" Kevin asked as he tried to talk to me.**

"**No!" I shouted angrily.**

"**Don't be rude!" Karen said bitterly as she followed me to my room.**

"**I wasn't being rude, Karen." I muttered.**

"**Kenny, what's the matter?" she asked looking me in the face. "Why are you so upset all the time?" she asked.**

"**I'm not." I said bitterly. "Whoever told you that is really dumb and stupid."**

**Everything was going in a haze for me.**

"**Ken what is going on with you?" Karen asked bitterly.**

"**I'm really, really tired, I guess." I muttered as I held on to my emotions like a big boy.**

"**Kenny, you can tell me. I'm your sister." She muttered. "I love you."**

"**Aaaaaawww!" I said as my eyes filled with tears. "I love you, too, Karen." I said softly. "I always will."**

**The next few months were kind of good. No one talked about Kevin, and his college. No one really cared. I really thought maybe everyone forgot. I hoped everything would go back to normal soon. But, as always, I was wrong.**

"**Hey, sport." Kevin said one day while I was trying to do my homework.**

"**Hey. Kinda doing homework." I said as I looked down at my paper.**

"**Is this what you call it? You're preparing for the big art competition?" he asked.**

"**I call it homework because that's the only thing I ever took serious enough." I muttered. "I really hate everything else that has to do with school."**

"**You liking your summer break so far?" he asked smiling.**

"**Yep." I said smiling back. "I'm really getting into this drawing."**

**I felt my insides give way and a stream of tears just came flooding out. I got up, and walked out of the room.**

"**Did you get something in your eye, Ken?" he asked trying to follow me.**

"**Yes!" I lied as I locked myself in the bathroom. I cried for a minute before getting myself back together, and heading back to my room. I should've stayed in the bathroom. Karen was there. Waiting for me.**

"**You don't look too good, Kenny." She muttered. "What's the matter?" she asked as she handed me a cookie.**

"**Nothing." I said as I sat down on my bed. "I'm just a little tired, that's all."**

"**Kevin leaves in two days." She muttered.**

"**I know." I said matter-of-factly. "I'm happy for him." I lied as I laid down on my bed and pulled Karen to me.**

"**I am too." She said softly. "But I hope he feels happy with himself. Aren't you gonna miss him?" she asked.**

"**Hell no!" I said smiling as tears filled my eyes. "He's like a big guy now. He can take care of himself." I said laughing.**

"**I'm going to miss him." She said softly. "The way he always leaves a cookie under my pillow." She muttered.**

"**He does that for you, too?" I asked as tears filled my eyes.**

"**Yeah. He said it was to keep the monster away." she said softly.**

"**I guess I was lying, Karen." I said softly. "I'm going to miss the hell out of my brother. Even though he is the dumbest sack of shit ever. I don't even know how he got into that place."**

"**On his drawings." Karen said astutely. "He and you and I have mom's drawing abilities." She muttered.**

"**How do you know it was mom?" I asked softly.**

"**Because…, dad can't draw worth shit. Doesn't even know a paper from a dollar bill." She muttered. "Kenny, is that why you've been so cranky?" she asked.**

"**Is it that obvious?" I asked softly.**

"**Yep." She muttered sadly. "You're really snappy to Kevin, lately."**

"**I didn't know it was bothering me so badly." I muttered. "Well, I mean, I did, but I also didn't know I hadn't admitted it to myself." I muttered.**

**Karen and I went to bed quickly that night. No sooner had we laid down, then we were both out like lights. I fell into a dreamless sleep. I was just lying in a fog. I didn't have dreams. Not a single one.**

**When I awoke the next day, Kevin was getting ready to leave. I didn't know how to face that, so I tried my best to be strong. I found the strength quickly fading from me.**

"**Ken? Have a minute? Or six?" he asked as he came walking over to me.**

"**Yeah." I said as I sat there. "Sup?"**

"**I'm getting ready to go." He muttered. "Wanted to talk with you for a bit. Just chill." He said as he sat beside me.**

"**Cool." I said stoically. Maybe I can try to be like Craig.**

"**Kenny, I'm really going to miss you." He said softly.**

"**You'll be fine." I said matter-of-factly. "You'll find a girl to entertain you. We always do." I observed smiling.**

"**Kenny, are you mad at me?" Kevin asked looking me in the eyes. "You're avoiding me, and you're about to tear the shit out of that bandana if you don't stop twisting it with your hands." he warned.**

"**Look, Kevin. I'm not mad at you. And I have an important meeting with Kyle. So that's where the anxiety is coming from. I really have to go. I can't be wasting my time here for long."**

"**Kenny, I'm going to miss you!" Kevin begged. "I'm trying to say goodbye!"**

"**Yeah, well, I'm running out of time, and I am ****not**** going to miss you. I don't need you, Kevin McCormick." Before I knew what was happening, I stood up and started screaming at the top of my lungs. "I never needed you! So when you leave, I'm not going to miss you, I'm not going to need you, and it won't matter one bit to me that you're gone! You're replaceable, Kevin! No one even gave a crap that you were here!" I shouted.**

**Kevin started to weep quietly, and I ran to him and wrapped my arms around him. "I hate you!" I shouted as I cried. "Family sticks together, Kevin! You fucking douche! I hate you!"**

"**Kenny, I'm right here, almost. A couple hours away!" Kevin said as he held me and tears came out of his eyes. "I'll come every time I can. I promise. You won't go long without seeing me. Because I'm going to miss you guys, too." He said as he held me tight.**

"**I really didn't know how much a part of me you were." I said softly. "I guess when you were here, I took you for granted really bad." I muttered.**

"**I really love you, sport." He said softly.**

"**I love you, too. Don't leave, Kevin. I need you." I pleaded.**

"**I'm sorry, Kenny." He said softly.**

"**I'm sorry, too." I said as I broke down with him again.**

"**I promise I'll be here a lot. I won't forget you guys." He said softly.**

"**Even when your drawings attract all kinds of girls?" I asked smiling.**

"**Yep. Family is forever, dork." He said as he held me close. "I'm not going to forget or abandon you guys without talking to you first." He said softly. "I'll be over in Boulder. It's not that far. It's close to where they say the ghost of Jack Torence was frozen to death." He said softly.**

"**Kevin, you weirdo, that movie and book were not based on a true story." I said softly.**

"**So what?" he said bitterly. "They could've been. Dream crusher."**

**Kevin and I went with my mom and dad and Karen and took him to his college campus. We got to see his apartment studio, and we got to help him pack. We blew up an air mattress for him, and mom gave him a fold up table to eat on, or put his shit on. He already had a sink, a two burner stove, and I bought him a microwave a while ago, which neatly fit on the counter. He had a bathroom complete with shower, sink, and toilet.**

"**You guys don't forget about me over here." He said softly. "Come visit me, okay?"**

"**Sure." We all said smiling.**

"**I love you, Kevin." Karen said smiling bravely as she hugged her brother.**

"**I love you, too, Karebear." He said as he gave her a kiss on the cheek.**

"**I'm going to miss all of you." He said turning to the rest of us.**

"**We're going to miss you, too." My mom said as she kissed her son gently on the forehead.**

"**When you make it big, you better not forget us, yuh hear?" dad asked smiling at him. "Proud of you, son." He said as he shook his son's hand.**

"**See you later, Kevin." I said as I hugged him. "Glad to see you getting far." I said as I smiled and hugged him.**

**Soon, after infinite goodbyes, we all piled back into the car, and left. Kevin was facing bigger and better things. Who knew. Maybe I'd follow him soon after. Maybe. I could just see him staring down from the fifth storey, watching our car leave. I sighed as we all drove away. The last things I remember is Karen leaning on me, and we fell asleep quick. **


	9. Chapter 9

Double Booked

Eric Cartman sat at the counter of the convenient store where he worked. He sighed. He wished he could be Stan and Kyle right about now. This town was boring as all fuck, and he really wanted some adventure. He was destined to stay in South Park forever, it seemed. He sighed. There was one good thing about this. Kenny was still here. He had a girlfriend, but she was nice enough. Kenny would never leave him.

The next day, he awoke to his mom blowing a party horn in his ear. "Wake up, poopsy!" she shouted as she clapped her hands. "It's a very special day today, and we don't want to waste it, now, do we?"

Cartman sighed as he rubbed his eyes. His twenty-first birthday. He smiled at his mom as she pulled back the blankets.

"I have pancake surprise in the kitchen." She said smiling. "Ready to come down?"

"I'll be right there." He said.

He was really excited. He really wanted nothing more than to enjoy the day with his mom, and Kenny. Kenny probably had something really amazing planned for him. He smiled at the mirror as he got dressed. He wanted to make sure he wasn't wearing his favorite jeans. If he stained them with the breakfast mom was making, goodbye pants.

He didn't pig out, but he ate a really good meal. His mom was going to work, but said she'd be back by five forty-five so they could do something together. She said he could even call Kenny and ask him if he'd like to go.

When mom left, Cartman decided to go to Kenny's house. He was really looking forward to it, and he wanted to tell Kenny in person. Maybe Kenny had something really big planned for him.

Kenny sat in the kitchen that morning with Kevin and Karen. Mom and dad were both still asleep. Mom had gotten a job, but didn't start work until at least eleven in the morning. She was working with LuKim at City Wok. The door quietly opened and Kelly came walking in. She smiled at the family sitting around the kitchen, as she walked in , and grabbed a pop tart from the plate in front of Kevin.

"Do you knock anymore?" Karen asked with a smile as she went and gave Kelly a hug.

"Nice to see you too, Karen." Kelly said laughing as she pigged out on the pastry. "Foe?" she asked with a mouthful. "Whuh aw we doinb foe aw amavussy?" she asked looking at Kenny hopefully.

"I really want to take you on a boat ride." He said smiling. "Unless you hate boats. Then, I suppose we can go watch a movie. But it would be short notice and a change of plans from what I—"

"Kenny!" Kelly shouted as she put a hand to his mouth across the table. "Boat ride sounds wonderful." She said smiling. "I can't wait to see how beautiful it turns out!" she said as she went pink. "I love boat rides. They're so romantic." She sighed.

"Come with me. I'll show you what I'm wearing for the special occasion." He said in a low voice as he and Kelly walked off.

"Gross." Karen said under her breath.

"No." Kevin said bitterly. "The gross part is that someday…, that'll be you. Now…, that's gross." He said as he pretended to throw up.

"Yeah." Karen said bitterly. "But in the meantime, so not me!" she said as she grabbed a glass of milk. "I am a free spirit. Going wherever the wind takes me."

"Like, to school in forty-five minutes." Kevin reminded. "I'll give you a ride if you want, CareBear." He said as he wiped his mouth on his sleeve.

The door opened for the second time that day. Kevin moaned.

"I'll have to remember to lock the door next time." Karen said as she spotted Cartman walking in. "Riffraff can't just come barging in whenever it wants."

"Be nice to me, girlie." Cartman said smiling. "I get the crown today! It's mah birfday, and I am officially twenty-one." He said as he grabbed a box and opened it. He took a cookie out of the box and ate it greedily.

"Well, sport." Kevin said grinning. "Happy birthday. What're you up to today?" he asked smiling.

"I don't know. Do you?" Cartman asked grinning excitedly. "Does Kenny have a special surprise you'd both like to tell me about? I have a few expressions lined up to pretend that I'm still surprised even after I've made you loons spill the beans." He said as he sat down next to Kevin.

Karen and Kevin both gave each other serious glances. Hadn't they just heard tell from Kenny and Kelly that it was their one year anniversary? Hadn't they just been there for the revelation that Kenny was to take Kelly on a boat ride? This didn't look too good for Cartman. Kevin jumped in at the last second.

"We can't tell you. Kenny made us swear to secrecy. So, our lips are sealed." He said as he turned his back on the pair of them and started cleaning the counter. He was nervous. When Kevin got nervous, he did stuff like this.

Just then, Kenny and Kelly came walking down stairs. Cartman stood up and ran to Kenny knocking Kelly aside. He gave him a big hug, and smiled. He was really happy to see him.

"Be careful, Teddy." Kenny said laughing. He liked to call Cartman Teddy, because Cartman was heavy set and looked like a bear when he walked fast. He was capable of knocking people over if he ran fast enough.

"So, what's up for today, Kenndoll?" he asked as he let go of his friend. "A raid? Pizza? Movies?"

"I've got to decide." Kenny said smiling.

"I'll say." Karen said smartly. "And don't choose wrong." She said pointedly staring at Kelly.

"Text me the info." Cartman said as he looked at the clock. "I gotta go do some stuff for my mom, before I head to work. They gave me the right to an early shift, so I can do whatever I want after five!" he said excitedly.

"I wouldn't waste time hanging out with Kenny's sorry ass." Kevin said throwing in another smart remark.

"I'll see you guys later." Cartman said as he ran out of the house beaming.

"What's with him?" Kenny asked as he sat back down next to Kelly.

"Well, I'd be happy too, if it was my twenty first birthday." Kevin said grinning.

The look on Kenny's face said it all. He had forgotten. He looked whiter than a ghost. He didn't know quite what to say or do.

His girlfriend was the most special thing in the world. Cartman was his best friend. Kelly and Kenny had known each other in grade school for a brief period of time, and had finally reunited a year ago. But Cartman had been there all his life. Kenny didn't know what to say. He didn't know how the hell to react to the situation at hand. Kelly saw the problem.

"I totally blanked on his birthday." She muttered sadly.

"That's the thing, kitten." Kevin said guiltily. "Everyone these days seems to blank out on Cartman, period." He said looking expectantly at Kenny. "He left here under the impression that you were planning something big for him. Fix it, Kenny." Kevin warned.

"Oh fiddle sticks." Kenny muttered as he tried to figure out a solution without killing himself. "Oh, my god. Help me Jesus. I need you."

"Well, it's been nice knowing you." Karen said as she got up.

"Maybe we can throw him a surprise birthday party!" Kelly said happily. "With only his closest friends." She added looking at Kevin and Karen.

"Please, you guys!" Kenny begged. "Will you be there for me today?"

"Kenny, I have to go to Reds sister's house to work on a project for school." Karen said bitterly.

"And I have to make sure Karen gets there safe." Kevin said lamely.

"You guys are both a sack of sorry liars." Kenny moaned. "Today is Pizza party Wednesday according to mom. You won't miss it for the world." He moaned. "Please, you guys. Will you be there for me to throw Cartman the best party he's ever had?" he asked bitterly.

"Fine, Kenny." Kevin and Karen said at the same time.

"But don't expect to pull it off without him finding out. This is a pretty rotten thing you're doing." Said a voice as Kenny's mom came in the kitchen. "I would just tell eem the truth if you really wanna be his true friend." She said in her Southern drawl.

"I don't want a true friend, mom." Kenny alerted her gently. "I want a happy friend." He added grimly.

"Lies don't make good roofs during the rain, Ken." Kevin said as he and Karen stood up.

"You know you're late for school when your mom wakes up and you're still here." Karen said as she waved goodbye to her mom and the other two, and Kevin and Karen left for real this time.

"What have I gotten myself into this time?" Kenny moaned as he sat there with his head in his arm. "We have to make the party short, too. The boat ride starts at eight." He muttered.

"I just wanna let you know," Kevin said as they all got ready for the party. "You are a liar and will burn in hell." He muttered.

"Here, I brought pizza." Kenny's mom said as she set some boxes down on the table.

The door opened and Cartman came walking in. "Surprise!" they all shouted as the youth sat down next to Kenny in between him and Kelly.

"I am so happy!" he shouted as he looked around. "Is anyone else coming?" he asked as he hugged Kenny.

"No. No one really could. People are all working, you know." Kenny said hugging him back.

"Butters should be on his way." Kevin said winking at Kenny who grinned and gave him a thumbs up. He would have to thank him later.

The doorbell rang and Cartman ran to open it. He hugged Butters, and they both walked back in after closing the door. Kenny was so nervous. It was six thirty, and the boat ride was an hour and a half away by car.

"This is amazing!" Cartman said as he took a gift and unwrapped it. Kelly gasped. It had been the present that she was going to give Kenny.

She and the rest of the crowd watched as he opened it. He laughed. "I like chocolate." He said as he dug into the box and pulled out a chocolate covered cherry. He took the card attached to the box and read. "I love you, buttercup. You make my world feel so amazing. XO. Okay, you guys, who's the dirt clod that gave me this?" he asked going red in the face.

"I g-gave you that, Cartman." Kenny said trying not to laugh. "We've been friends for so long, thought I'd make you blush. And look, it worked!" he said laughing as he watched Cartman going redder.

"Fag." Cartman muttered as he opened another gift. It was a box of shaving supplies and a gift card for ITunes. He hugged Butters and thanked him smiling.

"Pretty good party, huh kid?" Kenny's dad asked grinning. "Even cooler to know he pulled it off at the last minute."

The whole room went silent, and Cartman looked around at the familiar faces. A rage started in his belly, and he felt like he wanted to just melt away.

"So, you mean to tell me, that all these people are here out of pity? You forgot my birthday, and were never going to tell me?" he asked softly. "You know, even for me, I wouldn't do that to a friend. That's low, Kenneth. You poor piece of shit." He said as he stood up. "Thanks for being there, you guys. I really appreciate it. Mrs. McCormick, I loved the pizza. Thanks for the one true gift, Butters." He said as he grabbed Butters's gift and left.

Kenny felt horrible. He didn't know what to do. He looked around at the silent people and sighed.

"I feel like a shit head." He muttered.

"You are." Kevin said as he put down a pizza slice. He had no appetite at the moment.

"Dad, you screwed up a really good thing." Kenny muttered.

"No, Ken. He didn't." Butters said softly. "You should've came clean. You should've told the two of them that the two events clashed on the same day. They would've been kind and compromising. They love you. You really fucked up." He said softly. "Sorry, ma'am. He said after uttering the curse word.

"You should go talk to him, Butters." Kenny demanded tensely.

"No, I shouldn't." Butters muttered. "You fucked it up, you go mend it. He's been your friend for a long time, Don't you think he deserves that?" he asked bitterly.

Kenny got up and sighed. It was seven fifteen. He had fifteen minutes to get all this sorted out. That wasn't much because it would take ten of those minutes to get to Cartman's house! Oh shit!

He ran off, and out the front door. Cartman was sitting on his stoop, and Kenny almost tripped over him as he ran down it.

"What are you doing here?" he asked surprised.

"I told my mom you were throwing me a party. I don't really want to show up early and have to tell her you fucked me over." Cartman muttered. He had been crying. Kenny could tell that much.

"Eric?" he whispered at the look of pain in his friend's eyes. "I am—"

"I don't wanna hear it, Kinny." He said bitterly. "I know I've been a douche to you, bro, but this is low. This is the most important day of my life, and I've been here longer than that bitch, Kelly." He muttered.

"Is that what this is about?" Kenny asked sitting next to him and wrapping his arms around him. "Eric, do you think Kelly's been taking over?" he asked softly.

"It's just that, First Cal left, and the tradition of going over to Stan's house every Wednesday still stuck. Then, Stan left. Now we go over to each other's houses every Wednesday, but you always have Kelly there. It's not guy time anymore. It's Kenny and his girlfriend, and I'm the third god damned fuckin' wheel. I really, really, thought, that since it was my twenty-first birthday, you would be a good friend and do some shit for me. But oh well. You lied to me, Ken. You not only lied, you fuckin' forgot my birthday, bitch. I hate you. You humiliated me in front of all those people, none of whom really liked me in the first place. So, it's fine. Just go do whatever it is you were going to do with Kelly, and I'll see you later. I'll just drive around for a little while longer. Mom won't even ask, I'm sure."

He tried to push his friend away, and Kenny held him tight. "Look, Eric, I'm really sorry." He muttered. "I got into a dilemma, and I should've told you. I really hate myself for not telling you what happened. I wish there was a way to take it all back. But, there just isn't. I really want you to forgive me. I really don't want you to think I hate you in anyway. Besides, all those people in there, really like you. I'm sure they want to make it a special day for you, too. And, as far as Kelly, I can still take her home after the party and give her my love as a gift. She'll understand. After all, you and I have been friends for our whole lives. Kelly and I have been going out for just a year."

"Why don't you bring your fat ass back to the party? I'm sure you'd really like it." Kenny said as they both stood there quietly for a whole five minutes.

"Y'think there's still pizza left?" Cartman asked grinning as he wiped a tear from his eye.

"I'm sure there is." Kenny said as he gave his friend a grin. "C'mon, Teddy. Let's go."


	10. Chapter 10

**Going too Far**

Wendy Testaburger was the girl everyone knew as the know it all. As far as the South Park kids went, Butters was her counterpart. The two of them were tied at the top of their class in elementary school, and they were the same all the way through middle and high school. One of the more interesting things, however, was that they both were very different than the set of friends they chose to hang out with. More importantly, Wendy.

She hung out with the South Park girls, which was no big deal. Except that among them, were two of the most dangerous girls from South Park. Annie, and Bebe. Bebe being the crazier of the two. Bebe Stephens always like to go out with different guys. Not just the South Park guys, but the ones from Middle, and North Park. Rumor had it she once went to a party in Colorado. The worst part was that she was only fifteen. This girl was only fifteen and she already passed for eighteen. She had a fake ID, and she was tall, with an enormous set of breasts, and wore plenty of makeup.

"Why do you hang out with her?" asked Stan one day as he saw Bebe and Token carrying a twenty-four pack of beer to his house. Most of Token's parties involved spiked punch, or soda.

"I want to keep an eye on her. I want to make sure she doesn't get hurt." Wendy had said as she looked exasperated watching her friend walk by.

"It looks like she and Token are headed to his house." Stan muttered.

Wendy got a call in the middle of the night to come get Bebe. She was outside of Token's house hiding in the bushes. His parents had come home, and they all had to clean up and sneak out as soon as possible. She had found Bebe in some bushes, rather giggly, and half drunk. Bebe also smelled like Pot. But Wendy didn't ask. She took her to her house, and had her spend the night.

The next day, Bebe woke with the hugest headache of her life. Wendy noticed, and didn't know how to comfort her best friend. It seemed Bebe was always waking up with a hangover nowadays. Wendy tried to tell her friend to lay off the drinking. She tried to make her friend set limits, and do things in moderation. But her friend wouldn't listen to her words. Worst of all, mom and dad were totally oblivious to what was going on right under their noses.

"Bebe, honey. You stay at Wendy's last night?" her mom asked a little too loudly, making her flinch.

"Yes." Bebe said as she walked into her kitchen for a drink of water. She wanted to get rid of this damn hangover. She had to go to school in an hour.

"Breakfast, honey?" her dad asked.

"No, dad. I ate at Wendy's." Bebe lied as she made her way to her room.

The poor girl wanted so desperately to throw up. She wanted to throw up, lay down and go to bed. She didn't know how to get rid of the accursed hangover. She jumped into the shower, and took a quick one. She wished she could just stay in there for about forty five minutes. But no.

She got to her room, and got dressed. She remembered Stan saying once that his dad got rid of hangovers by drinking soda pop. She stopped by the pop machines before class and got herself a sprite. She put it in her bag, and went to class. She saw one of the Middle park Juniors walking towards her. From behind, came Wendy, just in time to catch the conversation.

"Headed to the strip joint for dancing and a good time today after school, mama. Wanna go with?" he asked.

Bebe walked up to him and gave him a hug and a deep kiss. "Hell yeah. You know I be there." She said as he squeezed her breasts.

Wendy looked sick. "But, Bebe, you promised to go through our homework together. If Miss Nelson fails you, you won't be able to go on to the next class in the sequence." Wendy moaned.

"Don't be a drag, Wends." Bebe said smiling. "I'll be back before you even know I'm gone." She said as the boy walked away.

This is how it was almost every day. The poor girl never gave her body a break. She would lie and tell mom and dad she was staying with Bebe, then she would hit up at least three or so parties. She would call Wendy to get her, and then, she would wake up the next day with a hangover from hell. If it was during a school day, she would get a pop from school, and drink slowly, making herself feel good enough to sleep during class, and recharge before the next get together. Wendy implored her to give it a rest. But she didn't think she had too.

"Why don't you ever sleep in our house, anymore, darling?" her dad asked one night as she got ready to go.

"Wendy is my best friend. I don't see a problem with that." She said smiling.

"So, then, invite her over." He said as he hugged her tight.

"No, dad. She's really picky. I'd rather stay over there." She said softly. "I'll see you tomorrow in the morning." She said smiling.

The party was in a different location this time. Wendy was out of town with Stan for the day, so she didn't get to know exactly where she was to pick up the drunken Bebe. Her phone had been off, and Bebe hadn't bothered to leave a message. Wendy didn't want her night with Stan to end. His parents had taken them both to the fair, and they had all double dated. It had actually been quite romantic. Stan had won her a turtle key chain. She loved aquatic animals. She really did. Compared to the nights with Bebe, this one was too beautiful to want to let go of.

"Why don't you just tell her the truth?" Stan had asked as they sat in his mom's front yard. "Why don't you call her, and tell her that you don't want to be her baby sitter anymore?" he asked. "Or better yet, Tell your parents, or tell hers."

"Deep down, she's actually a very nice girl. She just gets her attention from the wrong crowd of kids." Wendy said softly as she lay across Stan's lap. "I don't want to leave her. I'm the only good influence she has. I just hate having to worry every night, Stan. It gets tiresome." She muttered.

"I know." He said softly. "I'd be tired of it, too." He said as he stroked her hair. "Just think about it. You don't have to act on it tonight, But think about it." He muttered as he kissed her forehead. "Drive you home?" he asked.

"I'm pretty tired. I better get going." She muttered.

They both went to the car, and Stan helped her into the passenger seat. He drove her home, and said goodnight to her fifteen minutes later.

"Thank you, Stan." Her father said as he watched her get out of the car after kissing him goodnight.

"No problem, Mr. Testaburger. She's always delightful." He said as he closed her door. He waved and drove away. "Delightful!?" he shouted out loud to himself. "I am such a lamo!" he moaned. "How embarrassing."

Wendy decided Stan was right. She needed to quit being the safety net for Bebe. She wanted her nights back, dammit. And she wanted them with a full night's sleep. She tried to reach Bebe, but Bebe was already gone it seemed. Her cell phone had been off. Wendy had seen four missed calls from her, But no voice mail, or text. So she left one of her own.

"Bebe, I don't know where you are, or what you're doing. I am really tired, and I am going to sleep. Please do not call me to pick you up. I don't wanna be your chaperone anymore. Get some person from the party to drive you home, and I'll see you tomorrow. I am not going to let you stay at my house today either. You've been drinking and doing drugs for the last six months, and I've been covering for you, and I won't do it anymore." She said. She sent the message and hung up the phone. She sighed, laid her head down, and was asleep within seconds.

"Take another drink, on me." a boy said as Bebe took the drink he offered. She was feeling so relaxed, and her body was calling out with desire to anyone who wanted it. She was quick to display that, too. She walked up to the nearest boy and started a conversation with him. She took her position as top bitch, and every girl and woman in the bar hated her. All the teenage boys and young male youths were buying her drinks, and giving her lots of attention. She loved it. She was hazy, and relaxed, and she felt like a queen. Like she should feel. She wished Wendy was here so she could share the glory. She didn't even have to buy one drink.

"This place will be closing in fifteen minutes!" a lady shouted over the PA system. Some boys booed.

"Wanna come with us to the next bar?" one of them said as he came over and started massaging her breasts.

She obliged kindly, and soon, her and a gang of other boys were headed out to find the next place that was serving alcohol. Someone handed her a joint, and she took it proudly, and smoked slowly. She really wanted this to never end.

Slowly, she lost track of the time. Slowly she lost track of the amount of drinks she was having. Slowly, this became one of the wildest parties, she had ever been to.

She soon felt herself losing control of her body. She was dancing, a lot, she knew that much. She felt hot and sweaty. She wanted to keep dancing, but her clothes were in the way. She didn't know who she was with, but the person had a nice set of arms. They were strong and held her really securely.

"I'm too hot here." She said as she tried to take her clothes off.

"Whoa, sweety!" the twenty-two year old said as he restrained her. "We don't do that here. We're still at a bar. Why don't I take you home with me tonight? I know where we can both take our clothes off."

Bebe didn't know how to say no, as she was flung into the boy's arms. He took her with him, and before she knew it, there was a whole gang of guys with him. They all piled in to a car, and were headed off into paradise. Wendy couldn't resist. She took off her top, and discarded it at her feet. The man who had picked her up was driving, and a second boy took her bra off for her. He started suckling on her breasts, while she unzipped him. The rest of the car was cheering. She started playing with him, while he pleasured her. She could hear a tiny voice in the back of her head, telling her this was so not the right thing to do. But she was high, and she wanted a man. She was drunk, and lusty. She wanted to be loved.

The boys all piled out of the car and went to the house. Bebe was given more to drink. She didn't know what was happening or what time it was, all she knew was that the night would never end. It would go on until the morning. It would be one of the greatest parties she had ever attended. She was so lucky.

She didn't remember when, but she had too much to drink, and lost all of her inhibitions. She couldn't remember any of what had happened. All she remembers is her mouth moving of its own accord, and she felt tiny stabs of pain, every once in a while. Around her arms, her legs, her breasts, and her private areas. It wasn't so hot anymore, maybe because she had fully taken her clothes off, but she didn't really know. She was so relaxed, she could fall asleep. Soon, she blacked out.

Wendy awoke at five in the morning with a start. Her phone was ringing. She picked up the cell phone and answered it before it woke anyone up. She whispered into the phone.

"Hello?" she asked. "Bebe, I told you. I am not helping you anymore." She muttered.

"I didn't know her name was Bebe." A young youth said on the other end. "Yu want to do us all a favor and come get her before the land lord shows up and kicks us out?" he asked softly.

"Who are you?" Wendy asked as she got up from her bed.

"My name is Raymond." he muttered. "Bring a friend. She's too asleep to wake up, and she won't be very happy to be awake for a while." He muttered.

Wendy put on some clothes after getting the address of the man. He sounded a little too old for a teenager. Wendy had a very bad feeling about this. Who should she call? She decided on calling all four of her friends. Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny. Cartman, of course didn't answer. Kenny, Stan and Kyle were on their way. Her father was the only one awake.

"Wendy, dear?" he asked as she walked into the kitchen. "Where are you going?" he wondered.

"I just got a call from Stan. He and the guys need help on a project. I think They needed help hauling stuff. I'm going to go help them. I'll be back in three or so hours, if mom wants to know." She said as she grabbed a bite to eat.

"Okay. Is Stan coming to get you?" he asked.

"Yes." She muttered. "There he is now." She said as she heard a beep outside. "See you when you get home from work." She muttered as she left.

"Where did they say they were?" Kenny asked as he drove off.

They got to the house fifty minutes later. There was a guy looking out for them, looked to be almost twenty-five. He opened the back seat door, and literally tossed her in. She was out cold. She landed on Kyle and Stan and Wendy.

"Now get her the fuck out of here before the cops show up.!" He said in a tough whisper. "We don't know her."

"Then how did you end up with her?" Kenny asked quizzically.

"Get going!" the man yelled as he walked away.

"Eeeeeewww." Stan muttered. "She smells like seed."

The car had been driving smoothly until Stan said that. Then the loud silence fell, and Kenny nearly crashed the car into a curb. He pulled over, and he came around to the back. They unwrapped the long jacket from Bebe's body, and almost yelled. Her clothes were ripped in places, and she had marks on her neck. She had bruises on her arms, and her face had a bump near her cheekbone. Kenny looked at Wendy and nearly threw up.

"I think Bebe got herself into trouble today!" Kyle squeaked from nearby as he saw the girl's body. He wanted to cry, but he looked on.

"Is this a hospital situation, or is this a ice pack situation?" Stan muttered.

"Drive to your house, Ken." Kyle muttered as he looked down at his friend.

So it was, that Kyle and the rest of the gang traveled to Kenny's place. Karen was staying over at a friend's house, Kevin didn't care, and mom and dad were too passed out to notice. Kenny and the crowd piled into the bedroom, and Kenny and Stan set Bebe on the bed. They all started taking parts of her clothes off. It was soon clear that this was a hospital situation. Her arms were not the only thing covered in bruises. She had bruises all over her legs, and her hair and body were all covered in seed. She had been raped. There was blood on the skirt she wore, and her underwear were found in one of her purse compartments. They all saw the blood slowly trickling from the girls genitalia. Stan Kyle and Wendy started to cry. All Wendy could do was say no, and sob as she spotted the bloody beaten, and abused body of her best friend. She didn't know what to say as she sat down on the floor. She wanted to call her parents. But she didn't want to deliver the bad knows.

"We can't just let her go home like that." Kyle whispered. "We have to get her to a hospital." He muttered. "They could've given her sedatives." He muttered. "They could have drugged her with other things besides alcohol." He said as he looked at her body.

"We have to get her to the hospital, and we have to call her parents." Stan muttered.

"I can't believe this! She won't be able to lie about this one either!" Wendy said as she sat there crying. "She counted on me, and I let her down! If I had been there! If I had limited her amount of drinking, and taken her to my house!" she sobbed.

"Wendy, this is not your fault!" Kenny muttered. "Bebe is a party girl. God wanted to teach her a lesson. I promise she's changed. She'll be better about it now. I hate to say it, but this is the only way he saw fit to teach her a lesson."

"They raped her, Kenny!" Kyle sobbed.

"I know. She's in danger, and needs to be taken to the hospital." He muttered. "Let's focus on one thing at a time. Let's get her to Hell's pass, and then we can have someone try to get a hold of her parents." He said as he redressed her.

"What are you doing?" Kyle moaned. "Shouldn't we give her a bath?" he asked as he stood up.

"No." Kenny muttered. "We have to leave her the way we found her. She has semen in her hair, and on her clothes. That's evidence against the traitors who did this to her. We can't wash that off." he muttered as he sat there staring. "Come on, move!" he commanded as he started dressing her again.

Soon, they all headed to Hell's Pass. Soon, they carried Bebe into the emergency room, and had to let her be taken away by a doctor. Now for the hard part. Contacting her parents.

It was Kenny, who seemed to be the only one not in shambles right now, who called Bebe's mom. He called her and told her she needed to get to the hospital, and that Bebe was in serious trouble. She said she would be there soon, and wanted to know what had happened.

"I don't really, know." Kenny said truthfully. "I just need a parent over here as soon as you can." He muttered. "We have reason to believe that she was raped."

There was a scream from the other side of the line, and Kenny hated this part. The phone was slammed down, and the line went dead.

Half an hour later, Bebe's mom arrived at the hospital. Her eyes were bloodshot and her mood was uncalmed. She wanted to see her daughter, and she wanted to see her now.

"How did this happen?" she asked turning on Wendy. "She was supposed to be with you tonight!" she shouted. "How could you not take care of my daughter!? I let her come home to you every night, because supposedly, you two are working on projects for school! Look what you do!"

"Mrs. Stephens," Stan said as he put a hand on Wendy's shoulder. "I have some very bad news for you, and maybe for the parents of South Park. Your daughter, and the other crazy high schoolers never stop partying. As a friend, Wendy should've told her mom, and she in turn would've told you. But she didn't. And!" (He put a hand up, as Mrs. Stephens was about to speak.) "And I do not agree with what she did. It was wrong. She should've told one of you parents. But this has been going on for the last seven months. Your daughter and Token, and a lot of others, Are out of control." He said as he tried to restrain Wendy.

"This is not my fault!" Wendy was saying as she tried to get at the distressed mom.

"Calm down, this'll get figured out soon, I swear." He muttered as he watched Mrs. Stephens go to the hospital room.

The rest of them were ushered in to see Bebe as well. Butters bringing up the rear.

"Bebe?" her mom said as she saw her.

"She's very groggy." One of the nurses said softly. "Don't question her too much." She muttered. May not be good for her."

"Are you all right?" Stan asked timidly as he closed the door behind Butters.

"Yeah." Bebe muttered. "Where am I?" she asked as she tried to move.

"Don't move, honey." Her mom warned. "You're really dehydrated, and there's a needle in your arm." She muttered.

"I'm really in need of water." Bebe muttered. "My mouth is really dry."

Butters handed her a bottle of water, and she got help to drink. She closed her eyes as soon as she lay back down on the cot.

"Bebe, honey, if you can, would you tell us what happened?" her mom said softly.

"Mom, I got carried away. What can I say. I had too many drinks, and I did stuff I wouldn't normally do." She muttered. "I guess it's Karma. Mom, I've been lying to you, and dad the whole time. I've been going to parties, and doing all kinds of bad things. I also messed up with you." She said as she pointed at Wendy. "I kept you up needlessly when I would go to these parties. I tried to make you my unwilling second mom, and make you pick me up all the time. I'm really sorry." She muttered softly. "If you ground me for life, I understand." She told her mom gently. "Wens, if you don't wanna be my friend, I also get that, too." She muttered as she looked at Wendy.

"Honey, what did they do to you?" asked her mom as tears rolled down her face. She had picked up one of bebe's articles of clothing, and realized it was ripped and bloody.

"Mom, I told you. I got carried away, and I did things I didn't know." She muttered softly. "Needless to say, I may need a pregnancy test." She muttered.

Her mother started crying as she picked up all her daughter's clothes, and examined them closely. There were rips and tears everywhere. She really hated herself for not being a good mother. She wondered how long this had been going on. The nurse came in, and ushered everyone out. Everyone except Butters. Everyone always seemed to miss Butters, and count him out.

"I wanted to talk to you about something embarrassing." She muttered as Butters hid in the shadows. "We did a number of tests on you, and it looks like you had multiple sexual partners. Were you raped?" she asked softly. "Or was it consensual?"

"I was not aware of my surroundings." Bebe muttered with tears in her eyes. "I was raped, yes." She whispered as Butters started to cry silently. "I don't want you to tell my parents, please." She moaned.

"It's law." The nurse said softly. "You are almost sixteen, and I need to tell your parents what happened." She muttered trying to comfort Bebe.

"It's the most embarrassing thing in the world." She moaned as she began to cry.

"I understand, honey." She muttered softly. "But you need to figure out what you want to do. There are serious wounds to your vaginal areas, and there is a serious fracture to one of your ribs. I need to tell your parents." She whispered. "Your Hyman is broken, and there was a considerable amount of blood." She muttered as she stood up. "I understand it can be of pain to discuss, but you do need to tell your parents. It is law. We have to deliver the results eventually." She muttered as she looked at Bebe seriously. "I'll let you think about the problem for a while, before I ask again." She muttered. She got up and left.

"Butters!" Bebe moaned.

"I'm s-s-sorry, Bebe! They closed the door and didn't let me out when the rest of them all went!" he sobbed. "Please don't hurt me." he moaned.

"Butters, I'm not gonna hurt you!" she sobbed as she motioned for him to come forward. "I don't want to hurt you!" she sobbed.

Butters came walking over and wrapped his arms around her. She sobbed into his body as he sobbed with her too. "What the hell did they do to you, Bebe!?" he sobbed as he held her.

"I was trying to have fun!" she sobbed. "I really didn't know what I was getting myself into! I really thought I could keep myself in control!" she sobbed.

"They put roofies in your drinks, didn't they, Bebe?" Butters asked softly.

"Yeah." She muttered. "I heard one of the men playing around with a pill bottle, and it was too late by the time I found out, because I was already too far gone." She muttered. "They were all adults, Butters!" she sobbed. "How do you know?" she asked softly.

"My dad puts them in my mom's drinks when my mom has a fit about him cheating on her with a gay man." He muttered softly.

"Whoa, I didn't need to know that, cowboy." She said as they both laughed.

The door opened and in came the whole lot of them. Butters was still holding Bebe when they all came in. He pulled away from her and walked over to the group of people. Soon, Stan, Kyle, Kenny and he were ushered out of the room. They heard sobs and yells as the mom got the knows of her daughter's deflowering. Butters and the rest of the group were sad, and shocked as they heard it all. But the worst part was still to come. And it appeared to the students in the form of a Facebook post.

"Wendy!" shouted Token as he ran up to her in school two days after the trip to the hospital.

"What?" Wendy asked as she sat down in her spot in Art class. She noticed that Token looked pale and really sick.

"Wendy, where is Bebe?" he asked suspiciously.

"She's with her mom. Her mom had her withdrawn from school for a couple days. She needed her at home." Wendy lied smoothly.

"I don't believe you. YouTube, Facebook, and tumblr say different." He said as he grabbed her by the shoulder. "I need to talk to you, Wendy." He said in a tone that sent Chills up wendy's spine.

"I am about to start class." She muttered softly. "I don't want to be late."

"Wendy, right fucking now!" Token shouted so loud everyone stared.

"Mr. Black!" shouted the art teacher. "Please watch your language, and keep your hands off my students in my classroom, please. And quit making a scene." She added bitterly.

"I am sorry, Miss Graham!" Token said as he pulled Wendy to her feet. "But I need Wendy, right now!" he shouted. His tone was so off, Wendy didn't resist.

She ran off with Token as her teacher yelled behind her. She ran through the school, out the front door, and to the parking lot. She jumped into the back seat of the boy's car, and he closed and locked the door. He pulled out his laptop, and opened it. It was already on a webpage for Facebook. One of his friends had posted a link to YouTube, and he clicked on the post to enlarge it. He let Wendy read it.

_Folks, I present you with the girl voted most likely to be the next Leanne Cartman._

Suddenly, Wendy didn't want to know what was in that video. She looked at Token hopelessly, and shook her head. She looked at him pleadingly. She asked the question that she didn't want to know the answer to at all. "Did you see it?" she whispered.

"Oh…, yeah." He said as he stared at her looking as white as snow. "I sure as hell did. I had to make sure, it was really her." He muttered softly.

Wendy almost fainted. She didn't know what to do. Who to go to, or what to say. She just wanted to throw up.

"Kill me." she muttered softly as she looked up into the heavens. "If you love me, have mercy on my soul, and take me out." She muttered.

"Token, we have got to go somewhere and tell someone before anyone sees it!" she moaned.

"It's too late. The whole of this high school has seen it. They are going to ask questions, and there will be phone calls to Bebe. You can bet your bottom dollar." He said softly.

"We gotta go to the cops with this." She muttered softly. "Token, please. You know how to remove this kind of shit, we have to go to the cops."

Token and Wendy went back to school. Soon, when she was going to find Stan for lunch, She found him and Kyle standing by their locker. Kyle was white faced, and Stan looked questioningly at him. Kyle nodded, and as Wendy got closer, she heard him say, "Why don't we ask Wendy if she's seen it?"

"Wendy?" Stan asked as Wendy stood listening behind them. "Oh, sure! How will that one go? "hey, Wends! How y'doing? Have you seen a horrible sex tape of your best friend circulating the internet?"?"

"Yes, actually." Wendy said making Stan scream and drop his backpack. "I have. Have you?"

"N-no. Not really." Kyle muttered as he looked at the floor. "But I did see the post. Cartman liked it."

"You have Cartman on your Facebook page as a friend?" she asked curious.

"This is not the point!" Stan shouted as he stomped his foot. "What the fuck are we going to do?" he asked bitterly.

"We gotta find Kenny!" Kyle moaned.

"They're going to get me!" shouted Tweek as he ran past. "They're going to do to me what they did to Bebe!"

"Oh heavens." Wendy muttered feeling sorry for the boy.

"Wear stinky socks, Tweek!" Kenny shouted as he passed him heading towards the clique at the locker. "They hate stinky socks!"

"Kenny!" they all said as he approached them.

"Token showed me." he muttered. "I didn't see it. Neither did he. I didn't want to." He muttered. "Cops will see it soon enough, and I'm sure they'll make us see it with them so we can ID folks." He muttered as he sank down on the tiles. "I've texted Kevin, and he's got the cops on the case right now."

"Does Bebe's mom know?" Wendy asked dreading the answer.

"Yes." Kenny muttered softly. "Bebe was devastated. As if she didn't have enough to deal with." He muttered as he stood up again. "We all better head to class."

It was no surprise that in the middle of class, all of them got called out of the periods they were in. None whatsoever.

"Do you guys know any of them?" the cop asked as he showed them sketches of the men at the scene.

"Hey! Those two guys were at the apartment the day we went and got her!" Stan shouted. "Kenny, you still have the text with the address that Wendy sent you?" he asked as Kenny pulled out his phone.

"No." Kenny said bitterly. "My phone erased all my messages. But lucky me, I took a screen shot." He muttered as he showed the cop the address. "Do you think they're still there?" he asked softly.

"If they are, let's go catch a couple of sons of bitches, huh?" one of the cops said as he stood up. "Is there any other information about the girl and the video you'd like to tell?" he asked solemnly.

"No!" Wendy said bitterly. "Just get them. Please, get them." She muttered as she watched one of the cops leave. The other one gathered his stuff, and they all walked back to their individual classrooms. She didn't know what the hell was going to happen next.

After school, Wendy checked her phone, and discovered three missed calls from Bebe, and a text. No voice mail. She opened the message.

_If you love me, you'll get over to my house right away. Alone._

She knew what this was about, and she hated that it was true. But she was going to have to go. She wondered how Bebe was holding up. She walked off after telling Stan what she was going to do. She didn't say very much to anyone as she walked by.

When she got to the Stephens's house, she saw that there was no lights on in the living room. She knocked on the door, and it opened right away. A very tearful Bebe stood in the door, in the shadows. Butters was crying, too. He had been sitting on one of the arm chairs. He didn't say anything as he watched Wendy walk in.

"You saw it, didn't you?" sobbed Bebe as she slammed the door shut. "Didn't you?!"

"No!" Wendy said at once. "I saw the post! But I didn't click on the link! I swear!" she wailed.

"Don't lie to me!" sobbed Bebe as she sank down on the floor. "Everyone saw! This is so fucking humiliating! Eric fat ass Cartman saw!" she shouted as she pounded her fist on Butters's leg.

"Bebe!" shouted Wendy. "You're going to hurt him!"

"I can't believe no one told me, and I had to find out by myself!" she sobbed. "I got a call from one of the girls, congratulating me on my success!" she sobbed. "I can't believe I was raped repeatedly, and they think it's funny! They think it's funny, Wendy!" she sobbed.

"Bebe, I know this is hard for you." Butters said as he took her hand in his. "But, I promise, they are going to catch those guys, and they will go to jail. Not only that, they will burn in hell, and karma is going to come get them." He whispered. "I can't tell you everything's going to be okay, because truly I don't know that. But sooner or later, you'll find that they are going to put these men behind bars. Everything will be all right soon, I swear." He muttered as he held her hands.

"But what if it's not!?" she sobbed. "What if it's not all right?" she sobbed. "I will never be able to get my life back to what it was before this!" she moaned. "I never thought that having fun meant that I had to lose my childhood this early on!" she moaned.

"Bebe," Wendy mumbled as she sat down beside her friend. "I'm sorry I can't do much for you, but the men are going to be in jail soon. Stan gave the cops the address of the men who did this to you." She muttered softly. "Soon enough, it'll all clear up." She muttered as she sat there holding her friend up.

Days went by, and not a single person heard from Bebe. Not even Wendy. The only person she seeked comfort in was Butters. He was a continuing source of strength for her as she was pushed through her ordeal. Butters was watching over a sleeping Bebe, when the phone rang. He looked at Bebe, wondering if he should pick it up. He decided on it, since she wasn't opening her eyes. He got it right before the answering machine got it for him.

"Hello?" he asked as he held the phone to his ear.

"Leopold?" asked a familiar voice. "It's Sargent Yates." The man muttered as he spoke quietly into the phone. "Is Bebe there?" he asked softly. "I need to talk to her." He said softly.

Butters shook Bebe awake, and handed her the phone. She answered defeated. Her face was unreadable as she talked with the officer. Soon, she was off the phone. She came over to Butters, and hugged him.

"They have been caught. Seems they are responsible for more rapes than mine." She muttered as she held him tight. "I am so happy Jesus listened to me." she muttered. "I am so glad."

She leaned over and gave Butters a gentle kiss on the cheek. They held each other for quite a long time. Things for Butters were going to change now. He could feel it. He knew, the moment his hands encircled his now girlfriend.


	11. Chapter 11

**Lessons of Gambling**

Kenny and Kevin both pooled all the money they had. It all turned out to be three-hundred dollars. This should be enough to buy their parents a special gift. They were about to celebrate their twenty-first year together. Kenny wanted everything to be special. He sighed as he put the money into an envelope. He licked it shut, and labeled it, anniversary gift. He smiled.

"That should be safe, until we decide what we wanna do with it." He muttered.

"Hot tub." Kevin said smiling.

"Fuckin' yeah right." Mumbled Kenny as he stuck the money in his jacket. "Those are not in our price range." He muttered as he walked out to the kitchen. "I'm going to get some pizza, if you want any." He muttered.

The days went by, and Kevin and Kenny didn't quite know what to get for their parents. Kevin was really concentrating hard on trying to find the right gift. He wanted to make them the happiest they've ever been. He couldn't think of the right gift, no matter what. He sighed.

Kenny, on the other hand, wasn't worried. He knew an idea would come to him somehow. He would wait until it did. Kevin nagged him via text, in front of their parents, and he also made a scene when the two of them were alone together. Kenny told him that he had it all under control. He felt so confident, that he went out with Stan and Kyle two days before the anniversary. He heard a familiar sound of glass bump against glass. He and Kyle kept walking past the bar, but Stan stopped. Kyle noticed his friend lagging behind, and wondered what the fuss was all about.

"It's a pool hall." Stan muttered looking longingly at the hall.

"Oh no you don't, Stanley Marsh. I hate that game. Besides, Kenny and I are trying to shop for a gift here." He said sternly. "Come on, Mister."

"You know how to play pool?" Kenny asked amazed. "Kevin knows, but he won't teach me. Kyle, can we go in? I really wanna try." Kenny said as he looked in through one of the bar's windows.

"I don't think they let you in if you're not over twenty-one." Kyle said smartly.

"For the bar it's twenty-one and over." A man said as he passed them. "For the pool hall, it's eighteen plus." He encouraged to Kyle's dismay. Kyle gave the man's back a dirty look. Stan and Kenny walked back to the bar, and Kyle moaned.

"I've never played pool before." He said laughing. "I can't wait."

Kyle watched Stan and Kenny huddle together and Stan whispered the rules of the pool game to him. TO their surprise, Kenny was a natural. The pool hall was empty, as all the people were in the bar section getting drinks. Kyle assumed that someone would be coming in any minute. Kenny was really good. Sure enough, a young lady came walking in. She looked really pretty, and Kyle didn't recognize her from South Park. He smiled shyly at her.

"You boys wanna play a game?" she asked smiling.

"Hell yeah." Stan said smiling. "I'll play with you." He said as he set up the game.

The girl started playing. She had terrible game. She couldn't get the balls into the holes, and when she did, it was rare. Stan and Kenny were almost dying as they tried to hold themselves together. The young female sucked really bad, to say the least.

"I'm a newbie too." Kenny said smiling. "I have trouble playing also, so don't worry." He said softly.

"Really? Because I feel cheated I had to play against your friend here. I bet he's been playing a longer time than me." she said smiling. "I want a fair game this time, kid." She said looking Kenny in the eye. "How about we make it interesting?" she asked. "Ten bucks on it, ay?"

"Hell yes." Stan said without hesitation. He took a ten out of his pocket, and the girl did to. They both handed them to Kyle. He watched as the game started. The girl had apparently been holding back. Soon, the game was won, and the girl smiled. She got up, took her money, and waved as she left.

"Hey!" shouted Stan reddening. "I think she just hustled us!" he shouted.

"I'm sorry it had to end that way, boys." She said as she walked off.

"I told you we should've stuck to what we came here for." Kyle muttered as he stood up off his stool. "Can we go now?" he asked as he walked to the door.

"I just got an idea." Stan said as he eyed Kenny.

The next day didn't get any better. Kyle didn't know if he should tell Kevin about what was going on, or what. He watched Kenny and Stan hustle older men, younger men, and all kinds of people. No one ever came along that Stan and Kenny didn't hustle.

"You boys better be careful." Randy Marsh said as he handed Kenny fifty dollars. Kenny had won it fair and square. "Someone's going to come along and take you two up on your offer, and when they find out you've hustled them, they will get angry, and kick your asses." He said grinning. He got up from where he sat, and walked off.

"How about another game, Mr. Marsh?!" Kenny yelled.

"I'm not an idiot, Ken!" shouted the man as he left.

Kenny came home to Kevin, and confirmed what Kyle had told him over the phone just hours ago. The money they had planned to buy their parents' gift with, was doubled. Kenny came home with eight hundred dollars in the envelope. Kevin didn't like the looks of it, but he didn't know what to do. Then, he sparked a plan. He phoned Kyle, and told him. Kevin smiled as Kyle agreed. It would take place in a week.

In the meantime, Stan and Kenny would go around to all the different bars they could. Never hitting up the same bar twice, lest they get caught, and murdered. Kenny would play a terrible game for everyone to see, and people would challenge him. He would bet a few bucks on the first game, and win. Bet nothing on the next two games and lose one, and win the next. Bet a fourth game, and win. They were never caught.

"Kenny, the party is tomorrow. We have got to go shopping for the gift." Kevin said seriously. "No more putting it off." He said as he sat in front of the blond and started flipping through the television channels.

"Fine." Kenny moaned as he stretched out on the recliner. "We should get going before I change my mind." He muttered sadly.

"We're supposed to do this together. Want Stan to come along?" Kevin asked kindly.

"Yeah." Kenny said as he stood up. "Why don't I call Kyle, too?" he mumbled as he went to his room to get ready.

Half an hour later, Kevin and Kenny pulled out of the drive. They went and picked Stan up. Kyle wasn't able to go because he was doing some other things for his mom. Kenny regretted that the Semite couldn't go. He always liked the boy's company. Oh well. He'd have to find some other way to spend time with Kyle, he guessed.

Stan gasped and stopped in his tracks as they walked through the Denver mall. He moaned longingly as he spotted a sign. Kenny and Kevin looked at it too. It was a pool hall. In the mall? Strange.

"Kenny, Stan, we are not going in there." Kevin said trying not to smile. "I don't have time for your games." He said as he walked past the hall.

"It says here, twenty one and over." Said Kenny looking at the sign. "The big top players must play in here all the time." He said as he looked at the sign again.

"Are you boys coming?" Kevin asked as he looked back.

"Kev?" Stan asked as he caught up to the older guy. "Will you please take us in there?" he begged. "You can see just how Kenny plays."

"You know how to play pool, lil bro?" Kevin asked with a look of mock surprise. "I never knew." He said as he doubled back. "Okay." He said giving in.

"Yes!" Stan and Kenny both cheered

The plan was in motion. Kevin smiled to himself as he and the pair of younger boys walked in to the hall.

"ID's, please?" a girl asked as they entered.

"They're with me." Kevin said as they handed over three ID'S.

The girl made sure everything was in order, and smiled at them. She nodded, and they all were allowed to proceed.

Kenny and Stan spent a good hour hustling the people at the bar. It finally got around to the people coming in not to play with the couple of hustlers on the east side of the hall. Soon, there were people playing games, and keeping to themselves. Stan and Kenny found it annoying that no one wanted to play with them.

"Okay, folks." Kevin said happily. "Let's go. We've spent enough time here, and we gotta go shopping for mom and dad, Kenny." He said. He was staring at a spot behind the girl that was checking ID's behind the counter at the entrance.

Two men appeared out of nowhere. They both smiled.

"Hang on just a second. I've seen this blondie's game." One of them said.

The first man that had addressed Kevin, looked about thirty or so years old. He was a tall black man, with a tattoo of a skull and crossbones on his arm. He looked like he had once been a body guard for someone famous. Or maybe he had gotten into fights, because he had a scar right across his cheek on his left side. He had nice dreadlocks.

His partner was a heavy set tall white male. He had nice red hair, and freckles. But he too looked like he was someone you didn't want to cross. He and his friend smiled.

"How about a game?" one of them asked looking confident.

Stan's face went white. The pool hall emptied out, and no one came to the girl at the counter. Stan and Kenny looked at each other.

"No thanks." Kenny said looking at the size of the two men.

"Hell yeah, he'll take a game." Stan spoke up for Kenny.

"No I won't!" Kenny squealed.

"Let's see what you're made of, goldy locks." The first man said as he sat down. "Rack 'em up." He said to Kevin, who happily set up the game.

Kenny's stomach was in knots as he tried to make the game short and simple. He had played the worst he's ever played before, on purpose.

"You're not too good at this game." Said the first guy laughing. "Why don't you play with my partner, here." He said smiling.

"No, thanks." Kenny gasped. "My brother and I have to go shopping for a gift for my parents." He said as he stood up. "Come on Kevin!" he begged.

"Hell no, man!" Stan said pulling Kenny back down. "We ain't leaving. Kenny's just a little nervous. He'll show you what he's really made of. Let's make it interesting!" he said as he dug his hand into Kenny's jacket and pulled out the envelope. "There are two hundred dollars in here, that say he can beat your partner's ass." Stan said smiling as he slammed down the money.

"Is that a challenge!?" the second man asked as he took his partner's place.

"No!" Kenny shouted as he turned red. "That's not a challenge, Stanley, we have to go!" he shouted as he felt his life slip away from him.

"Let's play!" shouted Stanley smiling.

"Kenny doesn't want to play!" Kenny yelled as Kevin set up the game again.

"Come on." Said the second man smiling at him. "How bad could it be?" he asked grinning.

Kevin and the rest watched as Kenny and the guy started playing. Kenny really showed him his game. It was a tie, and it took Ken five minutes after the tie to declare himself winner. The man's face went white, and he slammed his fist on the table, making the thing shake under his fist. His friend stood up and stared Kenny down with hard steel eyes.

"I'm thinking you guys just hustled us." The second guy said standing up. "Chase, lock the door."

"No need to lock the door, Chase!" Stan said as he realized his mistake. "We were just about to leave!" he said as he stood up too. But it was too late. Chase went and locked the door, flexing the muscle with the skull on it.

"You know what we do to hustlers around here, kid!?" asked the second guy as he walked around to Kenny.

"I don't want to find out!" Kenny rasped as he tried to keep it together. "How about you take your money, with interest!?" Kenny gasped.

"Get the crow bar, David." Said Chase as he lifted Kenny over his head.

"No!" Stan shouted as he flailed his arms everywhere. "This was my fault! All my fault! If you want to hurt someone, hurt me! Kyle and Kenny tried to tell me about the dangers of hustling someone, and I didn't listen!" he shouted as he started to shake. "Please, David, and Chase! Just don't hurt Kenny, he didn't know what he was doing!" he shouted.

"Psych!" Kevin, Kyle, Chase, and David shouted as Chase tossed Kenny over to Kevin.

"Did you see that, Kyle, these two were about to piss themselves!" shouted Chase as he laughed.

"Kyle!?" Stan asked as he saw Kyle taking off his makeup. He had been the lady behind the counter the whole time! Kenny and Stan gasped.

"How do you know Kyle!?" Stan asked the two men who had now stopped laughing.

"These guys are part of my youth group." Kyle said smiling.

"What kind of youth group do you fuckin' go to!? Shouted Kenny looking aghast.

"That's not the point!" Kyle said as he came over to them. "I was getting sick of you two always having to muck up a trip to the mall or the jewelry store just because you two saw fit to gamble. It's not funny, and it can turn dangerous." He said as he smiled at his friends.

"Thanks, you guys." He said as they all laughed at the looks on Stan and Kenny's faces.

"You knew about this one, too, didn't you, Kevin?" Kenny muttered as the group got into the car.

"All's well that ends well, little bro." Kevin said as the four of them headed to shop for the gift.


	12. Chapter 12

**Hypocritical Living**

There was a knock on Kenny's door, as he lay there reading a comic. He wondered who that could be this early in the morning. He got up, put his comic down, and walked to the door. He opened it, and Wendy stood there, looking at him calmly. She smiled, and forced her way in. The twenty-three year old man looked inquiringly at her. She shut the door behind her, and she turned to face him.

"Pregnant." She said patting her belly. "Six months, it's not Tokens. I need your help."

Kenny took in what she was saying, and stared flabbergasted. "You're pregnant?" he asked looking at the girl confused. "Yu don't even look it." He whispered. "But, you're about to get married. Your mom and dad thought you were a rich decent girl." He mumbled. "So did the whole town."

"Look, it was a onetime thing. It was a really nice party, I drank too much, and me and Clyde just—"

"Whoa!" Kenny gasped as he lifted a hand to halt the conversation. "Clyde!?" he asked. "A dad? Does he know?"

"No." Wendy said softly. "And he cannot know, Kenneth. You have to help me." she said softly. "Come with me to Canada and help me abort the damn thing." She said determinedly.

"Wendy!" Kenny gasped looking horrified. He could feel the color leaving is face. "What the hell! Why would you do that? It's horrible you even said that!"

"If you don't come to Canada, and help me, I'll go to a back alley abortion clinic, and I'll have them take it out myself." She said looking coldly at Kenny. "I am not going to let some one night stand ruin my life with Token." She said as she started toward the door. "Are you going to help, or not?" she asked calmly.

"Yes." Said Kenny, trying to buy himself more time to think. "But we're going to have the baby." He said bitterly.

"I will not!" she shouted. She grabbed the door knob, and opened the door.

"Wendy!" Kenny shouted as he grabbed her by the shoulder. "Close the damn door, I need to tell you stuff." He said as he trembled.

She closed the door, and turned back to him. She looked angry. "Talk. You have one minute." She said bitterly.

"Wendy, you can't abort right now. You're six months along, and the baby is alive. Not only would you kill a human being, who can already feel, but your own life is at risk if you do an abortion that late into the pregnancy. Please, Wendy, think about this. There are only three months, and counting until you deliver. Just go with me to Canada, and let's tell the guys you're going to shop for wedding clothes, and other things. Okay? Just promise me you'll have this kid."

"No. If you and I go there, it's going to be for an abortion." Wendy said with a snobby voice.

"Wendellin, if you and I go there, it'll be on my terms. You can either go with me, have the child, and hand custody over, or you can go to some back alley place, and you will surely die. Which will it be, my girl?" he asked menacingly.

"Fine. I'll go pack my bags, we leave today at noon." She said as she opened the door, and left the house.

Holy shit! If Token knew, he'd call off the wedding for sure. He would totally go crazy! He'd probably kill the girl. Or worse. GO beat the shit out of Clyde. Dammit, he thought as he stood there. He hated life. He hated girls. Nothing but drama. Nothing. Not a damned thing. He went to his room, and started packing. He felt dizzy, and just wanted to disappear. Why is it, that whenever there's a big problem and it needs to be resolved, they have to call him? He hated rejecting his friends and not giving them advice, but he also hated getting into their problems. Things were really getting bad. Token would crap his pants if he found out. Worse. He would kill Kenny if he knew Ken was helping Wendy cover up a lie. She was a genius, and a rich girl. She didn't want this stain on her reputation. But Kenny couldn't quite understand this. Not at all.

Just as she promised, at noon, they headed to the Denver airport. She was silent the whole way, and Kenny didn't want to pursue a conversation with her. He sighed as they paid for their tickets. They went to their gate, and waited. Finally the plane was ready to board, and they both went and found their seats. Wendy submerged herself in a book, and Kenny went to sleep. He was so amazed that he was actually doing this.

When they got to Canada, they made the arrangements needed to find a place to stay. They settled themselves in, and both took a while sightseeing. This was a good place to be. The people spoke different languages, and with different accents. He had quite a lot of fun. A month passed by quickly. In no time at all, they had bought a lot of wedding clothes, souvenirs, and had even sent a post card to their friends and family. It was all smooth.

"I hate this!" Wendy shouted as she paced frantically around the room. "Token is getting suspicious. He wants to come and see me. He says that I should be coming back soon. I have got to get rid of this thing!" she said as she punched her stomach.

"Wendy, stop!" Ken moaned. "I know this is frustrating for you, but you have to just think about the baby!" he shouted.

"I don't give a damn about it! I just want it out of me, right now!" she shouted.

"You have a month left, honey!" Kenny shouted as he grabbed her hands, preventing her from doing it again. "Please. Calm down, you could hurt yourself. Besides, the poor child can feel your hate, and rejection. It could hurt it." He said as he tried to lead her to a chair. "I will go make you some tea, you're too agitated to be able to think straight." He said as he went to the kitchen.

He heard Wendy let out an exasperated scream. "I hate this!" she shouted. There was a sudden crash, and glass shattered.

Kenny dropped the tea bag, and ran to the living room. Wendy was on the ground on her stomach two storeys down, and the window was shattered. He screamed.

"Wendy, what have you done, you stupid girl!" he shouted.

He grabbed his keys, and ran out of the house as quick as he could. He picked his friend up, and gently laid her in the back of his car. He had rented one, for the stay here. He drove them off to the general hospital. Oh, Kenny hoped everything would be okay.

In the hospital, there was serious injury to the amniotic sac, and she had to give birth prematurely. She had suffered a minor injury to a rib, and could still move, and be happy. The child, however, was not so lucky. She was born prematurely, and her lungs didn't have time to develop. She was put in an incubator. Kenny cursed what Wendy had just done. All for her own selfishness. He wondered if God was watching.

"I'm booking a flight back to South Park." She said as she got dressed. The doctor said she was free to go. "I leave today. You coming with me?" she asked smiling.

"No." he whispered. "I am staying here. I have to watch over the baby." He muttered as he felt cold inside. "Wendy, shouldn't you stay here for a while longer? To see if she makes it through?" he asked gently.

"I had the stupid worthless baby, I signed her over to you, she's your problem. Not mine." Wendy said smiling at him gently. "I am leaving today."

"Don't you even want to meet her?" Kenny asked softly.

"I don't want to talk about this, Kenny. Please. I gave you the child, isn't that enough?" she asked bitterly.

"Wendy, she's a premature baby. She's in an incubator. She could die!" he said as tears came to his eyes.

"And you know, Kenny, I would love to pretend with you that I care, but that would be a lie. I will see you when you come to south park." She said bitterly. "I have to go get ready for my wedding. In fact, I would prefer you not show up at my wedding, at all. Best for all of us." She said smiling. "See you later."

Kenny was left dumbfounded at the general hospital. The baby managed to survive and grow stronger with each passing day. If Kenny thought he was going to be thanked by Wendy, and shown gratitude, he had another thing coming. She went back to South Park like she said she would But she brought with her a reputation to destroy. She spoke ill of Kenny, talking about his deviant habits, and how wrong he was for doing what he did. According to Stan, Wendy told him that in Canada, he had found an orphan girl and was adopting her. He was a father living without a wife. That was a sin.

Kenny could not believe what the girl had said about him. He had half a mind to ruin Wendy's life in an instant. He didn't want to go back to south Park and cause a lot of trouble, so he just stayed there. People wrote to him, and begged him to come back. He never told a soul why he was in Canada, but he stayed with his daughter for seventeen years. All good things must come to an end though.

"Dad?" Kenya asked as she sat down on the couch with Kenny. "I want to talk to you about something." She muttered softly.

"What's up?" he asked. He looked over at her, and saw there was tears in her eyes. "Whoa, Kenya!" he gasped. "What's going on?"

"I was cleaning out a cupboard in the living room, and I found this." She muttered as she pulled out an envelope from her lap. Kenny recognized it, and knew what she had found. "You lied to me? This whole time? You weren't really my dad?" she asked softly. "Why?"

"I promised your mother I wouldn't tell anyone when she gave me to you. That included you." He said softly. "And I know I didn't conceive you, Kenya, but I do love you like my own. I've always wanted the best for you, and I've always wanted to see you make something good of yourself. I never loved you less than any real dad would to a real daughter. You are my girl, and I really care about you." He said softly.

"I love you, too." She said softly. "But why didn't Wendy keep me?" she asked looking at Kenny sadly.

"Because she was really selfish. She thought only of herself, and her life. She's been lying to everyone for seventeen years, did you know?" he asked softly.

"I want to go meet her. I want to give her a piece of my mind." Kenya said softly.

"No, honey. She is married now. With a daughter of her own. She has a life, and it would be unwise to ruin that all because you're upset at her."

"But she left me." Kenya said bitterly. "I want to go see if the life she traded me for was worth it for her." She muttered. "I am going to South Park. With or without you." She said as she stood up. "This weekend. It's the start of spring break." She added as she walked off.

Kenny tried relentlessly to try and stop her. But her mind was set, and so she and Kenny went to the airport, and flew to South Park.

Wendy was sitting in her kitchen, looking at a shiny table. She smiled. She did a really good job cleaning. She sighed as Token and Katie came walking in. Katie had been talking to her father, and now was quiet as a mouse.

"Hello, Token." She said softly. "Hello, Kate." She said grinning at her. "I want you to go get ready for dinner." She said as she got up. "I'm getting ready to serve the food."

Katie walked off in silence. Token looked unhappy for some reason.

"I still think you're being too hard on the girl, Wendy." He muttered as he sat down.

"I love to talk to you about our daughter, Token, but we have abused this topic far and wide, my dear. I don't want to talk to you anymore about it." She said softly.

"You are stunting your daughter's freedom." Token said bitterly. "You are being really strict over nothing. She has only girlfriends, she has no boyfriend, Come on, Wendy. Let her take a trip to the movies without one of us this time." He said bitterly.

"No. If so much as one boy looks at her, she is toast, and her virginity is lost to me, and her lifelong partner. I was a virgin when you had me, Token Black. Are you forgetting that?" she asked as tears came to her eyes.

The next day, Wendy had given her daughter a punishment. She was sitting up in her room crying, when Token came home from work that day. He came up to her room, and closed the door.

"I hate living here!" Katie said bitterly. "When I turn eighteen, I am getting the hell out of here, that's final." She muttered as she wiped away tears.

"No, Katie, don't say that. You're mother and I love you very much." He said as he hugged her.

"My mother doesn't love me. She loves herself. Come on, dad! You and mom raised me right. You really think I would go out there and have sex with boys I don't even know? Dad, it's gotten so bad, all the girls make fun of me! I can't even go to school without mom dropping me off. Long sleeve shirts all the time, even when it's hot here!? Come on! I can't live like this." She moaned.

"I know. I just think you should give your mother a break. She was raised as a decent girl, top grades in school, she had everything she wanted. I was her first boyfriend. I was her first husband. She is the kind of person who values those things. I think, as a father, I'm slipping on my duties to you both. Just think about what I said. I have to go talk to your mother." He said as he got up. "No matter what, I love you." He muttered.

He walked out of the room, without waiting for her answer, and made his way down stairs. Wendy was making soup for dinner. He sighed. There was no easy way to do this.

"Wendy?" he asked softly. "I want to talk to you."

"Whatever it's about, it'll have to wait. I'm making dinner and—"

"I have an extra marital affair." He said going red in the face. "I want a divorce." He added hastily.

"No. You're lying to me. You don't. And even if you do, Token, I forgive you. I am really happy with you, and your daughter will be disappointed if you leave us. Now, let's pretend this didn't happen, and go and have a good dinner." She said as she hugged him tight.

Katie and her dad sat down under the icy glare of Wendy. They all got themselves a bowl of soup, and started eating. It was very good. Delicious.

"So, Kate?" Token asked softly. "How's things at school?" he asked as he tried to make conversation.

"Well, let's see. Everyone is getting ready to do the earth day celebration." She said smiling. "I've been voted in as class president. Things are actually pretty good." She said grinning.

"I am so proud of you." Her mom said as her icy glare melted into a happy smile. "I knew you could do it, princess." She said smiling.

There was a knock at the door and the doorbell rang. Token smiled at his family. "I'll go get the door." He said as he stood up.

Don't leave me here with mom. Katie thought as he left the room. She didn't know what to say.

Token opened the door, and smiled. Kenny stood there grinning at him. He was so red in the face, you could feel the heat coming off him. Token grinned. He reached an arm out and gave Kenny's right hand a shake. "How you doing?" he asked softly. "It's been a long while. Wendy and Kate, and I are eating dinner." He said grinning. "Wanna come in?" he asked.

"Maybe we should come back after you're done with your meal." Kenny said as he retreated.

"No, we are not." Said a girl's voice as she pushed past Kenny and stared Token down. "We are going in there, once and for all." She said bitterly.

"Oh! Is this your girl, Kenny?" Token asked smiling.

"Yes!" shouted Wendy from behind him as she came running down to them as fast as she could. She yanked Token aside and glared at Kenny. "The hell are you doing back here?" she asked bitterly. "I told you to stay away from us! I told you never to come back to my house! What the hell are you doing here!?" she shouted as her countenance went dark.

"I dragged him here, mom." Kenya said as she came up to Wendy and stared at her.

"Mom?" Token and Wendy said at the same time. "Mom!?" Wendy shouted at the top of her lungs. "I am not your mother." She said bitterly. "You better get out of here, Kenny, or I will call the police."

"No." Token said as he looked at the girl, and Kenny, who was cowering on the stoop. "I want to hear what the young lady has to say."

"No, you don't! Who knows what Kenny put her up to! Kenny is a demon! He is a sinner, and everyone thinks he is a terrible person. Kenny, everyone hates you in South Park." She said breathlessly.

"Actually, no." Katie said as she stood beside her mother. "The only one so far that has spoken ill of Kenny is you." She said bitterly as she looked him up and down. "The question is…, why, mom?" she asked sadly. "What are you hiding from us?"

"Are you my sister?" Kenya asked as tears filled her eyes. "This is exactly how I pictured you. You are pretty."

"Wait!" Token said as Katie advanced on Kenya. "I want to know why you called her mom, and why you call Katie sister." He said as he looked daggers at Kenny. "Someone is going to tell me the truth, or I will ring it out of you."

"You don't need to do that." Kenya said smiling. "I am her daughter. She got rid of me when I was born. All to hide an affair she had with some guy from this town that she didn't want to let you see. Kenny isn't even my real father." She said bitterly.

"Lies!" Wendy shouted as she wrapped an arm around her husband's shoulders. "Token, you can't honestly believe this lie, can you?"

"I wish I didn't." Token said bitterly as he stood there staring at her. "But I do. Who is the father, Kenny?" he asked looking at the girl, and looking at Kenny.

"Clyde." Kenny whispered.

"You had an affair with Mr. Donavan?" Katie said as she started laughing. "At least you got your mother's looks, Kenya. Because your dad is damned ugly."

"I'll take my divorce now, Wendy." Token said bitterly.

Wendy tried to beg him not to do this. She was crying hard, and on her knees.

"I'm going with you." Katie said to Kenny and the girl. "I hate living here. I'm going to get my bags, and I'm going with you."

"I'd like to see you try, girl." Wendy shouted as she grabbed for her daughter. "Token may not want to be with me, but I carried you." She whispered.

"What about me?" Kenya shouted as she slammed her fist on the side of the door. "I was dying! I was in the NICU!" she yelled. "All you wanted to do was get rid of me! You don't know what it took for me to have a normal life! I was born prematurely, and with a lame leg! You don't know about the physical therapy, or the way my dad cried himself to sleep because he saw how unhappy I was!" she shouted bitterly. "You carried me, too. And you just threw me away." She said as she glared at her.

"Come back for your bags later." Kenny said bitterly. The three of them left, and Wendy was left with Token trying to call them back.

"Wendy, you shouldn't have done what you did." He muttered softly. "I really did love you." He muttered bitterly.

"Then come back, and let's start a normal life now. You know everything, I know everything, let's just call it even." She whispered.

"You will never learn." Token said as he turned and left.


End file.
